People have a wide variation of sleep needs that can range from one to ten hours a day. Infants have a need for more sleep, while as we age, our sleep needs are less and lighter.

15 ways to begin getting some zzzz's:

1. No reading or watching TV in bed. These are waking activities. If your insomnia is chronic, it is not a good thing to do, says Dr. Alex Clerk, head of Stanford Sleep Disorder Clinic in Palo Alto.
2. Go to bed when you're sleepy-tired, not when it's time to go to bed by habit.
3. Take the time to wind down before bedtime. Ninety minutes before bed, don't get involved in any kind of anxiety provoking activities or thoughts.
4. Relax. Do some breathing exercises and try to relax major muscle groups, starting with the toes and ending with your forehead.
5. Remember that your bed for sleeping. If you can't sleep after 15 to 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing.
6. Keep your room cool.
7. Don't count sheep. Counting is stimulating.
8. Exercise in the afternoon or early evening, but no later than 3 hours before bedtime.
9. Don't overeat. Eat at least two to three hours before bedtime to give your food a chance to digest.
10. Don't nap during the day.
11. If you awake in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep within 30 minutes, get up and do something else.
12. Abstain from no caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes two to three hours before bedtime.
13. Write. Schedule a half-hour, writing about your concerns and hopes in a journal.
14. If you have disturbing dreams, add an ending that you want.
15. Listen to calming music or a relaxation tape.