1. Have routines. Try to establish a simple routine every night when you go to bed. Habit helps you to sleep.

2. Be tired. Gentle exercise (like a short walk) will help you to relax and feel genuinely tired - don't overdo it (and avoid vigorous exercise before bed), but make it regular. If you have been sleeping during the day, don't be surprised that you cannot sleep at night.

3. Have rules- Bed is for sleeping. Do not watch TV in bed or eat in bed. Try and associate going to bed with going to sleep. Relaxing with a book is OK.

4. Be comfortable. You will not sleep if you are in pain , hungry, too full with a heavy meal, too hot , or too cold. Have a firm (not too hard) mattress. Fresh (not freezing) air and as little noise as possible will also help.

5. Feel warm. A warm drink and a warm bath before going to bed can often work wonders.

6. Avoid certain drinks like alcohol, coffee, tea and caffeinated soft drinks. If you drink coffee you make not get off to sleep. If you drink alcohol you may wake up restless half way through the night.

7. Quality not quantity. Don't worry about the amount of sleep you are actually going to get. You can manage on surprisingly little.

8. If you have had trouble sleeping for several weeks, or if you feel tired every morning, or if you feel unduly stressed, worried or depressed, please come and talk this over with your doctor.

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