Here are a few more helpful hints:

• Do not eat late. Your last meal should be no later than 7 p.m.

• Drink valerian or passionflower tea before bedtime every night for one month.

• Take a relaxing evening stroll an hour before bed.

• Soak your feet in hot, Epsom salt bath for 15 minutes before bedtime.

• Keep a journal at night. Emptying your thoughts onto paper helps you unburden your mind for a more peaceful sleep.

• Induce relaxation with a 15-minute meditation. Here's how: Sit comfortably at the edge of a firm seat with your back erect and your head tilted slightly downward. Place your arms gently over your lap and breathe slowly, deliberately, and gently. Keep your eyes slightly closed.

• Do not exercise for at least two hours before bed. Interestingly, people with regular exercise routines have fewer episodes of insomnia. Exercising moderately for 30 minutes daily, combined with meditation in the evening, will not only help you fall and stay asleep, but will also increase the amount of time you spend in sleep. For some people, exercise alone is enough to overcome insomnia.