Now that  Health experts have warned that loss of sleeping hours leads to sudden death, the question of  how to balance the demands of the 21st century of working round the clock and still carving out time to sleep then arises?

Let’s face it. We live in a “go-go” world. Our lifestyle is quick-paced, our food is fast and statistics have shown it is taking a toll on one of the most important parts of our life – our sleep. The good news is, you do not have to cheat sleep anymore or fall asleep during daily activities or  look sleep-deprived.

Here are a few sleeping tips to help you sleep better

1. Try mind- body techniques.
After an action-packed day, your brain and body need to unwind before sleep can occur, that is, you need to chill.  You could chill by creating a “ritual” for bedtime; routines like taking a bath, meditating or doing some easy stretches. Try to do your “ritual” in the same way, in the same place, at the same time each night. The repetition will trigger your mind and body that it is time to relax and sleep.

  2. Try a different pillow or mattress.
This might not apply to everybody but it’s funny that some people have been sleeping on the same pillows and mattresses for years and years. Replacing your pillow and mattress regularly (not every day) often aid you a good night’s sleep. Or more simply, just replacing your pillow with a new, fresh, higher quality version could be all that you need.
3. Listen to relaxing music.
After having undergone a stressful day at the office, establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as listening to music, could be just the thing you need to signal your body it is time to sleep. So, dim the lights (if you have to) and throw some slow jazz or  “relaxing sounds” CD to help slow your mind and body down for an evening of peaceful sleep.
4. Avoid watching TV before bed…especially in bed
The bed should be reserved for sleeping not for watching movies or football! Research shows that those who experience the most sleeping disturbances are those with televisions in their bedrooms who use the TV to fall asleep.
5. Avoid caffeine late in the day.
Do you know that even a small amount of caffeine even 10-12 hours before bedtime can cause problems falling asleep?  Caffeine is  usually found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, kola nuts, to mention a few.  Eliminating your tea, soda and even chocolate helps improve your sleeping habit.

6. Try a natural sleep aid.
For many people, while the above tips and suggestions may help, it often isn’t enough. if you are one of those people who really have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep, you may want to try a natural sleep aid.  A sleep aid that uses natural ingredients is a better approach to getting a solid night’s sleep.