There has been much study and debate over how many hours a sleep a person should get each night in order to function better and avoid certain illnesses that have been linked to a lack of sleep.

It has been long established that seven to nine hours of sleep a night is conducive to healthy living. Still others say that they always function at optimal levels with less than that and some with as little as only four hours of sleep per night.

Even Mother Theresa, in her last interview with Time Magazine said that she has lived for years with only four hours a sleep per night and sometimes less.

This article is not for those of you that say you do well with little sleep at night. But this article will benefit those of you who get very little sleep each night but would like to get more sleep.

While I am not necessarily against sleep aids such as OTC or prescription, this article does not focus on that as an option. But rather, we will focus on natural things you may have not thought of that I believe will be a great help to you.

If you are in the habit of trying to fall asleep after that must-see thriller, you are already setting yourself up for failure.

Your sensory level is still high from what you have just seen on TV. Regardless of whether it's a thriller or a classic love story, TV is always a no-no just before bed time.

I know this is not good news for all of you who just can't go to sleep until you have watched the 10 O'Clock news. Maybe that's the reason you can't get a good night sleep in the first place (too much bad news just filled your head).

Try starting a wind-down routine

• Take a warm bath and even add some aromatherapy such as lavender or chamomile that promotes relaxation.
• Read a bedtime story to your children.
• Set aside some time each evening for some prayer or meditation

Take these out of your routine

• Don't eat or drink at least 1 hour before bedtime, however a small cup of warm milk is OK
• Avoid working out or doing house hold choirs.
• Basically avoid any activity that does not promote relaxation (No the TV is not considered relaxation, again it is too stimulating on your senses.
  

A short nap during the day can be very refreshing and actually beneficial to your health. However, you should limit your nap to 15 - 20 minutes at the most.  Anything past that will actually make you groggy and sluggish, leaving you more tired that you were before the nap.

This is because your body's natural sleep cycle starts to kick in around 30 minutes once you are unconcious. Interrupting this cycle will through of your entire sleep pattern.

I have always been cold natured. However, sleeping in a warm room only leaves me tossing and turning the whole night.

During a recent business trip, I got no sleep the first couple nights. I tossed and turned the entire night. It was not until a couple of days into my trip that I figured it out.

I turned the thermostat down to 60 degrees and dug deep into the plush down comforter. Let me tell you I sleep like a rock the rest of my trip each and every night.

My new found theory was validated when I watched a news special the other night where they discussed the best temperature for a good night's sleep. 60 - 65 degrees turned out to be the optimal temperature for getting the best night's sleep.

I must tell you though, every morning when I woke up I had to turn the heat on to thaw out. (LOL)

I hope that a few of these tips will be helpful to you in some way and get you on the road to a better night's sleep.