Even small lights can affect your body's natural ability to determine night from day. Turn off all the lights when it's time for bed, including nightlights, bathroom lights, and computers. Sometimes even the neon numbers from your alarm clock can be bothersome.

• If you have a ticking clock or an alarm with a light up display, get rid of it. Rid your bedroom of as many electrical items as possible or switch them off.
• It's best to sleep in a quiet, dark room, but this isn't always easy to achieve. If lights and noise are an issue, a quick fix is to sleep with earplugs and a sleeping mask.

Avoid trying to transition straight from an activity to sleep time. This can cause your mind to race continuously. Approximately 30 minutes before you go to bed, do something calming in order to ease your mind. Many people find activities such as praying, meditating, reading, or listening to relaxing music to be the perfect sleep inducer.

• Meditation. You can practice this in bed before you sleep and it will help you drift off. You'll be able to forget about your day and allow your mind to fully unwind.
• Yoga. There are number of gentle yoga styles that focus on light stretching and breathing techniques. These only take 10-15 minutes and can be done just before bed.
• Relaxation CDs or Audios. You can also listen to relaxation audios to help you get to sleep. These range from soothing music tracks to the sounds of ocean waves. These sounds have a particularly relaxing effect and will also help you sleep more soundly.

It's always a good idea to have your life on a general schedule. It works well for babies, toddlers, and for you too! Schedules allow you to set up natural rhythms in your body and mind.

• Sleeping for different lengths of time can confuse your body. If you have trouble sleeping one night, get up at the normal time and remain on your normal schedule the next day.

Eating a balanced diet gives you a better chance for a good night's sleep. It's especially important to pay attention to the things you eat and drink in the few hours before your bedtime.

• Avoid eating too close to bedtime. Your body needs ample time to digest your food before you sleep. The best time to eat your dinner is about 4 hours before your bedtime.
• It's best to avoid anything containing sugar, caffeine, alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, or red dyes shortly before you sleep.

Here are some of the best organic sleep aids available.

• Adding a drop of lavender oil to your pillow will help you fall asleep faster and sleep for a longer time. Lavender oil also works well in the bath. Taking a long soak in the tub with the essential oil will help you fully relax before bed.
• Chamomile, which you can drink as a tea, has an amazing calming effect and promotes better sleep. Try drinking chamomile tea before bed.
• Chinese medicines & acupuncture can both help you get a better night's sleep. Speak to your local Chinese herbalist, naturopath, or acupuncturist to tailor a treatment plan to suit your needs.

Keeping yourself on a regular exercise routine will actually help you get a quality night's rest. Even 30 minutes of light exercise can benefit you in many ways.

• Avoid exercising right before you go to bed, because exercise energizes you.

Naps can be tempting, especially during a lull in the afternoon. However, some people tend to have trouble with their nighttime sleep if they nap during the day. If you feel that you must take a nap, try to make it only 15 to 30 minutes. That should be enough time to give you a little rest before continuing with your day.

Your bed might even be interfering with your sleep. Are you having issues with the quality of your mattress or the type of blankets and pillows you use? If they feel uncomfortable in any way, try changing to a different style.

• What about the positions that you use for sleep? Do you have plenty of room to stretch out and get comfortable?
• Keep your room uncluttered with minimal distractions. Don't watch TV or work in your bedroom. Instead, assign another room in your house for these activities.

Determine the temperature you enjoy sleeping at during the night. It's usually a few degrees cooler than you'll keep the house during the day. You may want to experiment with adjusting the temperature.

• Also pay attention to the humidity to keep you from feeling stuffy. During the winter, the heater can dry out the air and a humidifier in your bedroom can help you breathe easier.