That has been an age old question with no definitive answer but most people believe that without sleep our bodies, minds and lives suffer a great deal.

Personally,there are alot of reasons I can think about that will answer why we need sleep:

1. When we are asleep, our bodies take this opportunity to heal and repair itself.

2. We need sleep for our bodies growth and developement

3. Getting the proper amount of sleep affects our metabolism.

4. Sleep also influences our ability to perform

5. Sleep also affects our ability to learn, keeps our memories sharp and our minds focused.

6. Sleep also affects our mood.

1. Setting your body clock by keeping the same sleep schedule 24/7 - As our body needs to balance both sleeping and waking times, a regular waking time in the morning helps alot in inducing sleep onset at night.

2. Creating a sleep conducive athmosphere and environment - keeping your bedroom cool, dark and uncluttered while wearing eyshades and earplugs really helps in setting sleep onset.

3.Sleep and use comfortable mattress and pillows - having good mattresses and comfortable pillows that are hypo allergenic can really help in creating a room that can invite sleep.

4.Dont drink or take products with caffiene - Caffeine is one of many stimulants
(substances that produce an alerting effect on the body) that we ingest in our waking hours. The effects of caffeine laced products,like coffee, tea, colas and even chocolate, stay in our body on average from 3 to 5 hours. Avoiding caffeine within 6-8 hours before going to bed can help really improve the quality of your sleep.

5.Hot milk is a great sleeping aid and alcohol is not - A lot of people think of alcoholic beverages as a good sleeping aid because it acts like a sedative. But what it really does is disrupt sleep by causing nighttime awakenings brought about by the frequent trips to the bathroom.

6.Avoid using computers,watching tv or fights before bedtime - The less tension you have before sleeping the better the chances of your getting a good night's sleep.

7.Use and keep a sleep diary - keeping a record of your sleeping patterns will help in narrowing down what kind of sleep problems are bothering you. Showing this diary to your health care professional can help alot in identfying and eventually treating your sleeping problem.

Recent polls conducted in the United States show that 7 out of 10 Americans have frequent sleep problems. But by following these tips and consulting with a sleep disorder specialist, you can and will finally get a good night's sleep.