5 steps to a good night's sleep

1. A hot cuppa at night
Much has been written about the calming effects of lavender and chamomile teas, but for Dr. Paul Caldwell, author of Sleep: A Complete Guide to Sleep Disorders and a Better Night's Sleep (Key Porter, 2002), nothing beats a cup of that old tried-and-true standard: warm milk. "Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is a proven hypnotic," says Caldwell, a family physician in Kingston, Ont. "Turkey contains a lot of tryptophan, too, but warm milk goes down easier at bedtime."

2. Into the dark

If you're having trouble falling or staying asleep, Caldwell suggests experimenting with the temperature, noise and light levels of your bedroom. While a cooler room is considered ideal because it mimics your own internal temperature drop during sleep, you may need to compensate with warmer bedding and clothes -- perhaps even those comfy pyjamas your mother gave you. And make sure your bedroom is dark: the pineal gland, which governs your body's internal clock, is triggered by light, so consider wearing an eye mask to bed. Also, a good set of earplugs will block noise that may potentially disturb light sleepers.

3. Music to your ears
Consider a soothing soundtrack to lull you into a slumber. Eli Bay, a relaxation expert in Toronto, has produced a CD compilation of calming sounds titled Sleep (available at amazon.ca). Or how about the sound of the sea? According to Cécile Magnan, programmer at the Nature channel on Galaxie, CBC's Continuous Music Network, "The rhythm of breaking waves is about an eight-second cycle, which is also the average rate of our breath in deep relaxation." Listeners can tune in and, with any luck, tune out.

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4. The right side of the bed
Your bed should be a sanctuary where you can relax and recharge. How to choose from barns full of mattresses? "Test-drive as many as you can," advises Gary Baskerville, spokesperson for the Better Sleep Council Canada (BSCC). "Go to a shop with a wide selection and spend a few minutes on each mattress, preferably with your sleeping partner beside you. You'll know the right one when you feel it." Mattresses range from $500 to $5,000, with the majority in the $699-to-$999 range. For that price, Baskerville says you can get a quality mattress set that should last eight to 10 years before its comfort level diminishes noticeably.

A recent BSCC poll showed that 80 per cent of Canadians prefer to sleep on a queen- or king-size mattress. “The bigger the bed, the less chance you'll be disturbed by your sleeping partner,” explains Baskerville. A second big trend is toward softer, more luxurious beds. Two new entries into the luxury-bed market are the European-style natural beds, made with wooden slats, latex foam mattresses and wool coverings, and the elasto-viscose, or “memory-foam,” beds. Both beds claim to neutralize hip and shoulder pressure points by distributing your body weight more evenly. But not everyone enjoys that sinking feeling, so think about it first, preferably lying down.

Tips for mattress care: Flipping or turning at regular intervals seems to be a time-honoured trick, but Baskerville advises following the manufacturer's instructions. To protect against dust mites (which can trigger asthma and allergy attacks), put protective cotton covers on both your mattress and pillows and wash them regularly in hot water.

5. Pillow talk
According to Dr. Jeffrey Lipsitz of the Sleep Disorders Centre of Metropolitan Toronto, there's no single pillow that stands head and shoulders above the hundreds on the market; choose one that, quite simply, feels right. Try different styles. If you sleep on your back, says Lipsitz, the pillow should support the C-shaped curvature of your neck without over-elevating your head. When lying on your side, the pillow should keep your neck in proper alignment with the rest of your spine. This allows your neck muscles to remain in a balanced and relaxed posture. For people with chronic back or neck pain, Lipsitz suggests trying out contour or cervical pillows, which use sculpted foam to provide a higher degree of support.