By: Dr. Babar T. Shaikh

A good night's sleep helps you feel alert enough to deal with everything life throws at you. increase your chances of sleeping soundly with these five tips.

Exercise relaxes muscles and relieves tension. Just make sure you don't exercise too late in the day: Since working out is an adrenaline-booster, you may find yourself too wired to sleep. A good rule to follow: Don't exercise for at least two hours before you go to bed.

Relaxation techniques calm you and let you forget your stresses for a while. Yoga or meditation often does the trick, as does massage or even a nice, warm bubble bath.

It's important to establish a consistent time for going to bed and waking up. Your body becomes used to hitting the sack at a regular time, and this helps you fall asleep more easily.

Once you get into bed, if you toss and turn and can't sleep a wink, go into another room and pick up a book for a while, or listen to some music. When you start feeling drowsy, head back to bed.

While you don't want to go to bed hungry, be careful of what you eat close to bedtime. Spicy, greasy, or heavy foods may not digest well, and can cause you to wake up during the night with an unhappy stomach. Also avoid caffeine within six hours of hitting the sack. Better choices for before-bed snacks include foods high in carbohydrates, such as bagels or crackers, which digest more easily. And don't forget the old standby, a glass of warm milk -- it really may help soothe you to sleep.