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(from Dr Mercola)

Optimizing Your Sleep Sanctuary

Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even the
tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and
your pineal gland's production of melatonin and serotonin. Even the
tiniest glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your
sleep. This will help decrease your risk of cancer. Close your bedroom
door, and get rid of night-lights. Refrain from turning on any light
at all during the night, even when getting up to go to the bathroom.
Cover up your clock radio.

Cover your windows—I recommend using blackout shades or drapes.

All life evolved in response to predictable patterns of light and
darkness, called circadian rhythms. Modern day electrical lighting has
significantly betrayed your inner clock by disrupting your natural
rhythms. Little bits of light pass directly through your optic nerve
to your hypothalamus, which controls your biological clock.

Light signals your brain that it’s time to wake up and starts
preparing your body for ACTION.

Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many
people keep their homes and particularly their upstairs bedrooms too
warm. Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is
quite cool, between 60 to 68 degrees. Keeping your room cooler or
hotter can lead to restless sleep.

When you sleep, your body’s internal temperature drops to its lowest
level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep. Scientists
believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to sleep,
since it mimics your body’s natural temperature drop.
Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can
disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and
serotonin, and may have other negative effects as well.

To do this, you need a gauss meter. You can find various models
online, starting around $50 to $200. Some experts even recommend
pulling your circuit breaker before bed to kill all power in your
house.

Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your bed. If
these devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as
possible, preferably at least 3 feet. Remove the clock from view. It
will only add to your worry when you stare at it all night... 2 a.m.
...3 a.m. ... 4:30 a.m.

Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on your body to be
suddenly jolted awake. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, an
alarm may even be unnecessary.

Combining the features of a traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze
button, etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in
intensity, this amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also
includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time,
which is ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.

Reserve your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing
work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and drift off to sleep,
so avoid doing these activities in bed.

Consider separate bedrooms. Recent studies suggest, for many people,
sharing a bed with a partner (or pets) can significantly impair sleep,
especially if the partner is a restless sleeper or snores. If
bedfellows are consistently interfering with your sleep, you may want
to consider a separate bedroom.

Preparing for Bed

Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal
system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m.
and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same
period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into your liver, which
can further disrupt your health.

Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed
shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended
for humans as well.

Don't change your bedtime. You should go to bed and wake up at the
same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to
get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up
in the morning.

Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep
breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils or indulging in a
massage from your partner. The key is to find something that makes you
feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the
tensions of the day.

Don't drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will
reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom, or
at least minimize the frequency.

Go to the bathroom right before bed. This will reduce the chances that
you'll wake up to go in the middle of the night.

Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide
the L-tryptophan needed for your melatonin and serotonin production.
Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross
your blood-brain barrier.

Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. These will
raise your blood sugar and delay sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops
too low (hypoglycemia), you may wake up and be unable to fall back
asleep.

Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When your body
temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime,
facilitating slumber. The temperature drop from getting out of the
bath signals your body it’s time for bed.

Wear socks to bed. Feet often feel cold before the rest of the body
because they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that
wearing socks reduces night wakings. As an alternative, you could
place a hot water bottle near your feet at night.

Wear an eye mask to block out light. As discussed earlier, it is very
important to sleep in as close to complete darkness as possible. That
said, it's not always easy to block out every stream of light using
curtains, blinds or drapes, particularly if you live in an urban area
(or if your spouse has a different schedule than you do). In these
cases, an eye mask can be helpful.

Put your work away at least one hour before bed (preferably two hours
or more). This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to
sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow's
deadlines.

No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or
even completely out of the house. It’s too stimulating to the brain,
preventing you from falling asleep quickly. TV disrupts your pineal
gland function.

Listen to relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or
nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep.
An excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to before bed is
the Insight audio CD. Another favorite is the Sleep Harmony CD, which
uses a combination of advanced vibrational technology and guided
meditation to help you effortlessly fall into deep delta sleep within
minutes. The CD works on the principle of “sleep wave entrainment” to
assist your brain in gearing down for sleep.

Read something spiritual or uplifting. This may help you relax. Don't
read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, which
has the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a
suspenseful book, you might be tempted to go on reading for hours,
instead of going to sleep!

Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be
helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed.
Personally, I have been doing this for 15 years, but prefer to do it
in the morning when my brain is functioning at its peak and my
cortisol levels are high.

Lifestyle Suggestions That Enhance Sleep

Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many drugs, both
prescription and over-the-counter, may adversely effect sleep. In most
cases, the condition causing the drugs to be taken in the first place
can be addressed by following guidelines elsewhere on my web site.

Avoid caffeine. At least one study has shown that, in some people,
caffeine is not metabolized efficiently, leaving you feeling its
effects long after consumption. So, an afternoon cup of coffee or tea
will keep some people from falling asleep at night. Be aware that some
medications contain caffeine (for example, diet pills).

Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make you drowsy, the effect is
short lived and you will often wake up several hours later, unable to
fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from entering the deeper
stages of sleep, where your body does most of its healing.

Make certain you are exercising regularly. Exercising for at least 30
minutes per day can improve your sleep. However, don't exercise too
close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in
the morning is the best if you can manage it.

Lose excess weight. Being overweight can increase your risk of sleep
apnea, which can seriously impair your sleep. (CLICK HERE for my
nutritional recommendations.)

Avoid foods you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for
sugar, grains, and pasteurized dairy. Sensitivity reactions can cause
excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, bloating and gas, and other
problems.

Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician.
Scientists have found that insomnia may be caused by adrenal stress.
If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, get checked out by a good
natural medicine physician. The hormonal changes at this time may
cause sleep problems if not properly addressed.

If All Else Fails

My current favorite fix for insomnia is Emotional Freedom Technique
(EFT). Most people can learn the basics of this gentle tapping
technique in a few minutes. EFT can help balance your body's bioenergy
system and resolve some of the emotional stresses that are
contributing to your insomnia at a very deep level. The results are
typically long lasting and improvement is remarkably rapid.

Increase your melatonin. Ideally it is best to increase levels
naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with
full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete
darkness at night.

If that isn’t possible, you may want to consider a melatonin
supplement. In scientific studies, melatonin has been shown to
increase sleepiness, help you fall asleep more quickly and stay
asleep, decrease restlessness, and reverse daytime fatigue.
Melatonin is a completely natural substance, made by your body, and
has many health benefits in addition to sleep