How to improve your chances of a good night's sleep

A good night's sleep is crucial to your health, and yet many people just can't seem to get all the rest they need. Here are some tips that anyone can try to get a better night's rest.

Many herbs are said to be useful for inducing sleep; one of the most popular and reliable is valerian.

• Valerian's qualifications as a sedative have been supported by research demonstrating that active ingredients in the valerian root depress the central nervous system and relax smooth muscle tissue.
• Valerian that is brewed into a tea or taken as a capsule or tincture can lessen the time it takes to fall asleep and help to produce a deep, satisfying rest. It does not result in dependency or cause a "hungover" feeling.
• Valerian is not recommended for use during pregnancy or breast-feeding, since it has not been studied for these conditions.

Other herbal remedies that have been suggested for sleep problems include teas made of chamomile, hops, lemon balm and peppermint, but there is not much evidence that they work.

A hormone produced by the brain, melatonin is instrumental in regulating the body's sleep-wake cycle.

• Melatonin can alleviate insomnia, although in some cases it has caused disturbed sleep.
• Melatonin supplements are available in the United States, but their sale is not allowed in Canada.
• When taken correctly, it can prevent jet lag, but the many other claims for melatonin — for example, that it can prevent cancer, boost immunity and forestall aging — are unproved.
• Melatonin appears to be safe when it's taken in small amounts to overcome a temporary bout of insomnia. But experts caution against taking large doses or long-term use because of melatonin's potential side effects, which include grogginess, depression and sexual dysfunction.
• Melatonin should not be taken by women who are attempting to conceive or are pregnant or breastfeeding; nor should it be administered to children or used by ­anyone with severe allergies, mental illness, rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases, and lymphoma and certain other types of cancers.

Insomnia can be one of the symptoms of anxiety, depression or stress, or it can be caused by a medical problem. Overcoming the underlying cause of these disorders is essential to improving the quality of sleep, but attention to nutrition and other aspects of sleep hygiene can also help.

• Obesity may interfere with sleep if it affects breathing.
• Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which a pattern of loud snoring builds to a crescendo, after which the person stops breathing and awakens briefly. It is more common in overweight people, especially middle-aged men.
• People with obstructive apnea can stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer 100 or more times a night.
• Muscle cramps and restless legs, a vague discomfort relieved only by moving the legs, can also interfere with sleep.

If you are having difficulties falling or staying asleep, mention it to your physican, who may be able to help.