The tips below are based on the information in the book which is actually from Medline Plus Magazine from summer 2012: Valerian. Natural Medicines. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com. Accessed Sept. 12, 2016.

Like this study, much of the current research has been based on students and young people, so it is unclear whether or not these findings extend to other age groups.Sleep is as important to your health as a healthy diet and regular physical activity. Whatever your reason for sleep loss, insomnia can affect you both mentally and physically. People with insomnia report a lower quality of life compared with people who are sleeping well. While going early to bed is the easiest thing you can do, companies, governments, and educational institutions also need to participate if we want to improve our time in bed and with this the well-being of the nations. First and foremost, I would emphasise that sleep thrives on a pattern. Protect your sleep from too many changes. Experiment to get it right and then retain the pattern. However, don't overanalyse things. Devices and gadgets may be helpful if they provide you with some useful information on your sleep pattern, however, they are often a mixed blessing, especially if you get too caught up in the data. Good sleepers don't need to monitor sleep like this, and for some people it is counterproductive to do so. Reading books can be relaxing and may help prevent anxious taught patterns that could interfere with a person’s sleep. Avoid caffeine and nicotine. The effect of stimulating beverages like coffee can take as long as eight hours to fully wear off.

The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity. Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Sleep cycles can vary from person to person and from night to night based on a wide range of factors such as age, recent sleep patterns, and alcohol consumption.There are two main reasons we periodically enter a state of deep coma that looks a lot like death at times: circadian rhythm and sleep pressure. Drago, V., Foster, P. S., Heilman, K. M., Aricò, D., Williamson, J., Montagna, P., & Ferri, R. (2011). Cyclic alternating pattern in sleep and its relationship to creativity. Sleep medicine, 12(4), 361–366. However, it may be a good idea not to exercise too close to a person’s bedtime, as that may actually disrupt sleep. When taking on an exercise routine, it can be difficult to know where to start. Learn more here. 5. Avoid using your cell phone And lastly, if you’re wondering which type of sleep is more important, the answer is simple: both. We equally need NREM and REM sleep to function properly. Lesson #3: Not Sleeping Can Kill You. For Real!