If you've had one or two bad nights lately, you can probably solve the problem by taking some of the measures below. These strategies may require you to change your sleeping habits, but the effort is well worth it in the long run.

    1. Make your bedroom a haven for sleep. Your room should be quiet and sufficiently dark, because darkness prompts the pineal gland to produce melatonin, the hormone that regulates circadian rhythms (your 24-hour body clock). Heavy drapes can help keep the light out, and a fan or white-noise machine can help drown out any annoying sounds. Cool temperatures help you sleep, so set your thermostat appropriately. For better air circulation, open a window or use a fan. If the air in the room is too dry, buy a humidifier.

    2. Become a creature of habit. A nighttime routine can be very effective in letting your body know when it's time to sleep. Go through whatever rituals help you get mentally prepared for sleep. (Read a few pages of your novel, spend 5 to 10 minutes on personal grooming, meditate, stretch.) It's also critical to go to bed and get up at the same time every day -- even on weekends.

    3. Reserve your bed just for sleeping and sex. Avoid working, paying bills, reading, or watching television in bed. If you associate your bed only with sleep, you'll be more likely to fall asleep when you get under the covers for the night. 

    4. Tame your tummy. Going to bed either hungry or too full can disrupt your sleep. Don't have a big meal too close to bedtime or the digestion process might keep you awake. Also, if you lie down after stuffing yourself you can end up with gastric reflux -- stomach acid backing up into the esophagus. If you're hungry, have a snack rich in carbohydrates, which trigger the release of the brain chemical serotonin, associated with relaxation. Try a graham cracker or bowl of cereal. Pair it with some milk or a slice of turkey, both rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which also induces sleep.

    5. Watch the caffeine. Too much caffeine throughout the day, even if it's not consumed right before bedtime, can contribute to fitful slumber. Once you hit 50, your metabolism slows, so caffeine may stay in your system longer -- up to 10 hours. Limit yourself to two cups of tea, coffee, or cola, taken at least 6 hours before bedtime. If that doesn't work, try cutting out caffeine altogether.

    6. Tap the exercise answer. It's a simple fact: If you're physically tired at the end of the day, you'll sleep better. In a study from Stanford University School of Medicine, a group of 50- to 76-year-olds who had complained of sleep problems began moderate exercise for about half an hour four times a week. Compared with a similar group of people who didn't exercise, the more active group slept an average of one hour more each night, took less time to fall asleep, spent less time napping, and reported an overall improvement in sleep quality. Outdoor exercise is especially helpful. By exposing yourself to sunlight (particularly in the afternoon), you help prevent midday sleepiness and reinforce your body's circadian rhythms. Exercise at least three hours before bedtime.

    7. Soak it up. Take a warm bath an hour or two before bed. Your body temperature will slowly drop after you get out of the tub, making you feel tired. Don't bathe right before bed, however, because it can briefly stimulate you enough to make it hard to fall asleep.

    8. Drift off naturally. Investigate the benefits of chamomile, valerian, kava, passionflower, skullcap, catnip, or hops. These herbs can be taken in tea and other forms. A cup of chamomile tea before bedtime may be all you need to relax. If you're trying valerian, the suggested dose for the concentrated form is equal to two to three grams of the root a day. But don't combine valerian with alcohol or mood-regulating drugs. If you're using kava, try a dose of between 60 and 120 mg before bedtime.

    9. Don't toss and turn. If 30 minutes go by and you haven't fallen asleep, don't lie in bed feeling frustrated. Get up and do something relaxing, like listening to soothing music or flipping through a magazine. Or make yourself a cup of warm milk.

    10. Buy the right bed. A bed that's too soft can cause poor sleep postures (which can also lead to muscle stiffness and back problems). If you're leaving a divot in the mattress when you get up, it's too soft. Replace your mattress if it's more than 10 years old, and buy one that's as firm as you can tolerate but still comfortable.

    If you're tired of feeling like you're not at your best or like you're not getting the sleep you need, then it's time to take action! Sign-up for the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep Challenge today!

    假设你最近连着一两天都睡不好，看起来不是很严重的事情，但是事情可能不像表明看起来这么简单。这里我们可以推荐几个办法——改变你的睡眠习惯——虽然麻烦了点，但是长远看还是值得的。

    1. 把你的卧室变成睡眠天堂。首先，你的卧室必须安静、黑且暗，因为黑暗的环境会促进松果体产生褪黑激素，这种激素正是控制昼夜循环的（就是你那个24小时制的生物钟）。用厚重的窗帘（或者别的什么）隔绝外界光源，借助风扇或者白噪音掩盖恼人的声音。凉爽的温度有助于入眠，所以恒温器也要好好调节。当然啦，开窗或使用电扇对室内空气循环有好处。如果室内空气太干燥，也可以用点加湿器。

    2. 顺从你的天性。晚上你会比较容易切换到睡眠状态，因为你的身体知道——到点了。可以随便做点什么以使在心理上做好入睡的准备。（读几页书、花个5到10分钟打理个人卫生，或者冥想一会？） 每天按时上床和起床也很重要——即使是在周末。

    3. 保证你的床只是用来睡觉和xx。避免在床上工作，付账单、读书或者看电视。如果你希望只把睡觉这件事和你的床联系起来，那么在床上你需要做的事情就是熟睡，而不是整晚翻烙饼。

    4. 驯服你的胃。 无论太饱或者太饿都会干扰睡眠。别在临睡前吃大餐，或者饥肠辘辘不得入眠。另一方面，如果你放倒的时候胃里还是塞得满满当当，那么胃酸会回流进食道。 如果真的很饿，吃些富含碳水化合物的小点心，可以触发大脑血清素的释放，这玩意有助放松身心。试试看全麦饼干或者一碗麦片。搭配牛奶或一小份火鸡肉，这些食物富含氨基酸，同样促进睡眠。

    5. 警惕咖啡因。 每天过量的咖啡因，即使不在睡眠时间发挥影响，也会导致睡眠不规律。当你50岁时，新陈代谢会变慢，于是咖啡因滞留人体的时间就更长——乃至于10个小时。睡觉前6小时最多只能来2杯茶/咖啡/可乐。如果这样还不行，那就把咖啡因戒了。

    6. 累了就睡。事情其实很简单：如果你的身体觉得累了，那么入睡就很容易了。斯坦福大学医学院的一项研究，要求一组年龄在50-76之间有睡眠障碍的受测人员，为时一个半小时的中等强度的锻炼，每周进行4次。相较于情况类似而没有参加运动的其他受测小组成员，参加运动的成员每晚的平均睡眠时间增加了一个小时，入睡时间则更少，短暂睡眠的时间更短t，而且根据报告，睡眠质量有整体提高。户外运动尤其有效。 暴露于日光下（尤其是午睡），(容我碎碎念一句，不怕皮肤癌么？), 有助于避免午睡，巩固人体生物节律。睡觉前锻炼3个小时。(到底该不该午睡啊，我觉得不太靠谱……)

    7. 冲个澡。临睡前1到2小时来个热水澡。当你离开浴盆体温会逐渐下降，令你感到疲倦。不过，别临睡才洗，那会使人兴奋，反而睡不着。

    8. 回归自然。甘菊，缬草，卡瓦胡椒,，西番莲，美黄芩，猫薄荷(我靠！)，啤酒花被证明是有效的。 这些草药可以加进茶或者别的什么里。临睡前一杯甘菊茶可以帮助放松精神。如果你愿意尝试下缬草，建议的剂量控制为平均2至3克，每天。但是不要和酒精以及刺激性药物混合使用。如果用了卡瓦，剂量要控制在60和120毫克之前，就寝前使用。

    9. 不要勉强逐渐。如果半个小时还不能入睡，不必躺在床上暗自神伤。 干脆做点别的什么轻松一下，诸如听点舒缓的音乐或者浏览杂志。或者来杯温牛奶。

    10. 买张好床。一张床不能太软，那会导致睡姿不正（还会导致肌肉僵硬和背部问题）。如果你起床的时候床垫凹下去一块，那么这张床就太软了。如果你的床垫的服役年龄高于10年，老兄，好换啦，换张硬度舒适的吧。

    如果你不觉得困或者觉得不需要睡觉，那就别逼自己睡，等想睡了再说！