Here are a few tips to help: If you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boringy; Do not take naps but if you can't make it though the day without a nap make sure it is less than one hour long and before 3 p.m.; Exercising each day will improve your sleep but avoid exercising four hours before bedtime; Do not consume caffeine, nicotine or alcohol at least four to six hours before bedtime; Avoid stimulating or intense mental activity, (like balancing a cheque book) an hour before going to bed. Set aside 15 minutes for quiet relaxation immediately before retiring; Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bedtime. It is the drop in body temperature experienced after a bath that may make you feel sleepy; and An empty stomach (or a full one) can interfere with sleep. If you are hungry at bedtime snack on dairy products or turkey which contain tryptophan -- a natural sleep inducer.

And for kids Experts urge parents to remember the hours of sleep a child needs are only averages. Keep in mind there is no magical number of hours required by all children. Each child is different. Here are some numbers based on various ages: Zero to six months: Newborns tend to sleep for about 16 to 20 hours divided equally between day and night. By three months, a baby averages about five hours of sleep during the day and ten hours at night; Six to twelve months: From six months onwards an infant might nap around three hours during the day and sleep about 11 to 15 hours at night; One to three years: Most toddlers will sleep anywhere between 10 to 13 hours.

Experts say that parents should not have to force a two-or-three-year-old to nap during the day, unless they become cranky and overtired; Preschoolers: The majority of preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night. If a five-year-old gets enough sleep at night they may not need a nap during the day; and School-age children: A six year-old may need about 11 or 12 hours of sleep, but as the child ages, the amount of sleep needed decreases. A 12-year-old will probably need about 10 hours of sleep.