• For some lucky people, sleep comes as soon as their head hits the pillow. For most of us, it's much harder. According to National Sleep Foundation polls, more and more Americans are getting less than eight hours of sleep per night every year. Chronic sleep deprivation has effects from mild to disastrous.

1. Several studies, including one published in the journal Sleep in 2005, indicate that sleeping less than 8 hours a night leads to obesity.^[1]
2. A Harvard study found that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to suffer from a major illness.^[2]
3. People who sleep less than 5 hours a night are 60 percent more likely to get high blood pressure, a Columbia study found.^[3] According to a British study, they are also twice as likely to get heart disease.^[4]
4. People who sleep less than 6 hours a night increase by 50% their chance of getting a virus.^[5]
5. A Princeton study found lack of sleep leads the body to slow down production of brain cells.^[6]

1. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex, says the Better Sleep Council.^[1] Otherwise, WebMD says, your brain will associate bed with too many wakeful activities, preventing you from sleeping.^[2]
2. Turn your clock so you can't see the time, says Dr. Robert Fayle.^[3] If you keep checking the time, it will make sleep more difficult.
3. Dr. William Dement recommends you keep light dim.^[4] Bright light will suppress melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep.
   • Using your computer before bed will also suppress melatonin, a study in The Journal of Applied Physiology found.^[5]
   • Television suppresses melatonin production in children, a study at the University of Florence showed.^[6]
   • Dr. Eva Schernhammer says melatonin protects the body against cancer.^[7]
4. Intrusive sound will keep you awake, says Dr. Mark Rosekind.^[8]
   • If noises from outside keep you awake, try wearing earplugs.
   • White noise machines or fans can also protect against startling outside noise.
5. Your room should be cool, not warm, says Dr. Daniel McNally.^[9]
   • Your body temperature reaches its lowest point right about the time you go to sleep; an environment that prevents your body temperature from dropping will keep you awake.
   • The temperature should be between 54 and 75 degrees, says the National Sleep Foundation.^[10]
6. Your bed must be comfortable, says the National Sleep Foundation. An uncomfortable bed or pillow is a recipe for a night with little sleep.

• Things you do throughout the day can affect your body's ability to sleep at night. Follow the schedule below to optimize your ability to sleep.

1. Don't consume any more caffeine until morning, advises the Mayo Clinic.^[1]
   • The half-life of caffeine - the time it takes for half the caffeine in your body to be eliminated - is six hours for most people^[2], eight to eleven hours for women using birth control pills^[3], and nine to ten hours for pregnant women.^[4]
   • If you are on the Pill or pregnant, you may need to cut off your caffeine intake even earlier in the day.
   • Many pain relievers and other medications contain caffeine, notes WebMD. Check before taking any medication.
2. No more naps until the following day. Any nap you take before this should be no longer than 25 minutes, says WebMD.^[5]
   • A mid-afternoon nap three times a week lowers heart attack risk by over one-third, a Greek study found.^[6]
3. Get exercise. Dr. David G. Danskin notes that exercising in the late afternoon is especially sleep-promoting.^[7]

1. Don't have that late-night cigarette! Avoid nicotine before bed, says The National Sleep Foundation.^[1] It's also a stimulant.
   • Nicotine's half life is about two hours, according to Dr. Jack E. Henningfield.^[2]
2. Stop watching TV and using the Internet for the evening. A Japanese study found people who use electronic media for the hours preceding sleep are less well-rested in the morning.^[3]

• If you've done all the above and still can't sleep, try the steps below.

1. If you can't fall asleep in the first 20 minutes, get up and read a boring book, says Dr. Dement.^[1]

The BBC recommends jigsaw puzzles.

1. • Use a small reading light so as not to lower your melatonin levels!
   • 
2. Don't hit the snooze alarm! Dr. McNally says it will just lead to bad sleep the following night and continue the insomnia cycle.^[2]

• If you still can't sleep, talk to your doctor about taking sleep medications. Do not take them before speaking to your doctor, as you may have other issues that would make sleep medications a bad idea!

1. Ambien and Sonata are better if you have trouble falling asleep, says WebMD.^[1]
2. The best pill to take if you wake up frequently during the night is Lunesta, says WebMD.^[2]
3. Ambien users are warned by the manufacturer not to take it if they plan to sleep less than 8 hours.^[3]
4. None of these drugs should be combined with alcohol.^[4] There are several documented cases of bizarre behavior after users combined Ambien and alcohol.
5. The National Sleep Foundation recommends against taking over-the-counter sleep medications, as they can have a severe "hangover" effect.^[5]
6. According to the CDC, prescription sleeping pills can cause nausea, dizziness, vomiting, confusion, headache, and dry mouth.^[6]