How can I stay asleep at night?

Here are some stay-asleep strategies:

1. Don't watch the clock. Hide the clocks in your bedroom or use clocks that don't glow so you don't stress about the time and how little sleep you're getting.

2. Wake up at the same time every day, even if you didn't get much sleep the night before.

3. Stretch or do gentle yoga before bedtime.

4. Take a look at your mattress, pillow, or bed frame. You may be uncomfortable, and replacing an old mattress could help.

5. Are you getting up to urinate, and then can't fall back asleep? Limit caffeine and alcohol, and reduce the amount of liquids you drink after dinner.

6. Melatonin and valerian are effective natural sleep aids. Take a low dose, about .25 to .3 mg, right before bedtime.

Try a few of these strategies and see if they help. If you still wake up in the middle of the night, get up and read or do something useful, rather than fretting about getting back to sleep.