Recent medical evidence suggests that getting a good night's sleep is essential to our moods, productivity, and health. But what can you do on those nights when sleep just won't seem to come?

Dr Yury Furman is a neurologist with sub-specialty boards in sleep medicine, and has many sleep-related areas of interest and expertise, including narcolepsy and sleep apnea. He's also in charge of the curriculum for the Sleep Fellowship Program at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and has these simple suggestions for help with getting to sleep at night:

• Avoid stimulants.
  According to Dr. Furman, paying attention to your diet is the first step towards correcting sleep problems. Avoid taking any kinds of stimulants, including caffeine drinks, chocolate, and tea (which actually has higher stimulant property than coffee). Alcohol can also significantly fragment the night's sleep, making a restful night less likely.

• Hot bath.
  Taking a hot bath before you go to bed can be very beneficial. When you get out of a hot bath, your body temperature starts to go down, and psychosocially, this tends to make you feel sleepy.

• Cool bedroom.
  People spend lots of money on special mattresses and pillows, but according to Dr. Furman, the most important thing to consider in your bedroom is the temperature. High temperatures can interfere with your ability to sleep, so make sure your bedroom is nice and cool, perhaps by opening a window.

A full night of efficient sleep will allow you to stay alert all day long, so take steps now and make sure your next night of sleep is a good one!

For more information on getting a good night's sleep, check out the following organizations and websites:

Sleep Journal
www.journalsleep.org

American Academy of Sleep Medicine
www.aasmnet.org

Shuteye Online
www.shuteye.com

iSleepless.com
www.nvo.com