Getting a good night's sleep is important to everyone, that is not to say that everyone needs the same amount of sleep, it means that whatever sleep we need, we should get and should be beneficial to us.
Without the right sleep we can become short tempered, our concentration levels can reduce and we are just not as good at getting on with our lives as we should be.
Lack of concentration can be extremely dangerous as is falling asleep at the wrong time because we are exhausted.
So how do we get a good nights sleep? The first and most important thing is to make time for sleep.
The problem with sleep for some people is that it gets in the way.
We need to realise how much sleep we each need and to allow enough time for us to get it.
If you know that you really do need 8 hours sleep to function properly then it's no use going to bed at two in the morning if you have to be up at seven for school or work.
If you need to be up at seven, then you need to be asleep by eleven.
This means that it just might not be sensible to stay up watching that late night movie or staying out late with your friends.
Then we need to look at the things that can disturb your sleep and stop you from getting a good nights sleep.
Food and drink can be a problem.
Coffee contains caffeine, caffeine is a stimulant which means that it can help you to stay awake.
So don't drink coffee for at least three hours before trying to sleep.
Alcohol can be another issue, we all know that a drink can appear to help you to sleep because it does have a sedative effect and make you feel drowsy but the problem is that the alcohol affects the WAY that you sleep.
The part of sleep that we need, that restores and relaxes us is referred to as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) or dreaming sleep.
Alcohol impairs this type of sleep meaning that although we are technically asleep it is the wrong kind of sleep.
Noise is another sleep disturber.
Most of us will wake up if we hear a noise.
It does vary of course from person to person.
Some people can't sleep with a ticking clock in earshot, others can sleep right through an alarm going off.
The point is that you want to minimise noise as much as you can.
If your home is quieter at the back than the front then try to sleep in a room there.
A noisy snoring partner won't help either.
If you are a light sleeper then you may need to address this problem by either treating the snoring or sleeping apart.
Light can be a major sleep disrupter.
Most people prefer to sleep in the dark.
If it gets light outside very early before you are ready to wake then you need to consider fitting black out blinds to your bedroom windows.
Then we come to comfort.
It is generally not a good idea to sleep where you are not comfortable as your sleep will be disturbed as your body reacts to the discomfort.
Your mattress needs to support you evenly and without any pressure points caused by springs sticking out.
If your mattress is causing you discomfort then either replace it or improve it.
A memory foam mattress topper can dramatically improve the comfort of an old mattress.
Your pillow also needs to provide adequate support for your head to avoid placing any strain on your neck.
A pillow needs to be able to hold your head in such a position that your neck and spine are in alignment.
Warmth is another crucial factor to take into consideration.
A cold bed or cold room will disturb your sleep as you wake up and move about to find a warmer position.
We can't all afford to keep our bedroom heating on all night so if your bedroom tends to become cold then invest in a warmer tog duvet.
An electric blanket is a great way to keep your nighttime temperature at a suitable level all night long.
Today's models are incredibly economical to run and are very safe to use.