1. A hot cuppa at night
Much has been written about the calming effects of lavender and chamomile teas, but for Dr. Paul Caldwell, author of Sleep: A Complete Guide to Sleep Disorders and a Better Night's Sleep (Key Porter, 2002), nothing beats a cup of that old tried-and-true standard: warm milk. "Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is a proven hypnotic," says Caldwell, a family physician in Kingston, Ont. "Turkey contains a lot of tryptophan, too, but warm milk goes down easier at bedtime."
2. Into the dark
If you're having trouble falling or staying asleep, Caldwell suggests experimenting with the temperature, noise and light levels of your bedroom. While a cooler room is considered ideal because it mimics your own internal temperature drop during sleep, you may need to compensate with warmer bedding and clothes -- perhaps even those comfy pyjamas your mother gave you. And make sure your bedroom is dark: the pineal gland, which governs your body's internal clock, is triggered by light, so consider wearing an eye mask to bed. Also, a good set of earplugs will block noise that may potentially disturb light sleepers.
3. Music to your ears
Consider a soothing soundtrack to lull you into a slumber. Eli Bay, a relaxation expert in Toronto, has produced a CD compilation of calming sounds titled Sleep (available at amazon.ca). Or how about the sound of the sea? According to Cécile Magnan, programmer at the Nature channel on Galaxie, CBC's Continuous Music Network, "The rhythm of breaking waves is about an eight-second cycle, which is also the average rate of our breath in deep relaxation." Listeners can tune in and, with any luck, tune out.
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