“I just can’t get to sleep at night. And if I do, I wake up.”

This woman is one of nearly a third of Americans who are not getting enough sleep. And despite all we know about sleep, the problem seems to be getting worse. People are not getting that 7 to 8 hours needed every night. If you are a native born American, female, have children at home, work for the government or live in the South, you have a greater chance of belonging to the sleep deprived group.

We know sleep is important to our physical and mental health, yet certain work groups also rank high on the inadequate sleep category. They are police and the military, people in health care support occupations, those in transport and material moving and workers in production occupations. Some of the culprits are long work hours, stress and technology. Yes, electronic devices keep us up at night. The artificial light of the screen tricks the brain to think it is daylight. Then your body doesn’t make as much melatonin (a chemical that helps you sleep) and you get insomnia. The solution, turn off your phone and don’t check it!

If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep within 20 minutes or so, get up, go to another room, read or listen to relaxing music until you fall asleep. Some people aren’t sleeping simply because they stay up too late at night or do something too stimulating before bedtime.

One of the solutions for sleepless nights is to reach for an over the counter medication, but many of these medications make sleep worse over time, could be addictive and don’t solve the problem long term. They also produce a “hang over” effect leaving you feeling groggy the next day. And you don’t want to take these if you are breast-feeding or pregnant or drinking alcohol.

What you need is the ideal room temperature (high 60s), darkness and comfort. Better to add exercise to your day–not late at night, quit smoking because the nicotine withdrawal can wake you up at night, limit caffeine to early in the day, and only nap for 10-20 minutes during the day. Another area you can change is your diet. Some nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins enhance sleep so try some halibut, almonds, cashews and spinach. Most important to do is turn off your brain and wind down for rest. Try some hot milk, relaxation exercises, a warm bath, and a “to do” log next to bed that allows you to write down concerns that might be stuck in your mind. Meditate on scriptures, read your Bible or put on worship music. All of this brings peace, assurance and rest and will allow you to fall asleep!