Have you ever woken from a long sleep and thought you have only been asleep a few minutes? Have you ever been asleep for a 'power nap' and felt you've been asleep for hours? Can you sleep anywhere? Do you need your own pillow for a good nights sleep? We all have different relationships with sleep. Some of us can sleep no problem - others struggle each night. This is such an essential element of our health and affects our productivity greatly so we want to ensure we do whatever is required to get effective sleep. Some of these tips might help you.

Create an environment conducive to sleep. Creating a comfortable bed is key to a good night's sleep; invest in the best quality bed, pillow and linen that you can afford and ensure that your blankets or doonas are of an appropriate weight for your body temperature. If you sleep with someone else, you might need to consider each having your own special blankets or doonas especially if you experience different (and incompatible) nighttime body temperatures.

Get ready for bed. Develop a pre-sleep routine which you follow each night. Having nighttime ritual signals to your mind that it is time to quieten down, which in turn prompts your brain to send the appropriate sleep-signals to your body. Remember, it takes 21 days to form a habit so stick with it until your pre-sleep ritual becomes routine.

Have a bath. Relaxing in a warm, scented bath is a wonderful way to unwind and help your body and mind prepare for sleep. Try a few drops of pure lavender or chamomile essential oil, or experiment with other relaxing oils and blends, in your bathwater.

Take a deep breath. Take three deep breaths; deep breathing can help you to relax and prepare your mind for sleep. Try also taking a very deep breath, holding it for a couple of seconds and then blowing it out hard - this is like getting rid of the rubbish from the day - three of these will ensure that you get rid of any negative thoughts or feelings left over from the day.

Take a note. If you are someone who lies awake thinking over problems, the next day's tasks or making plans, place a notepad and pen beside your bed. When you find yourself lying awake troubling over an issue or with your mind racing, write down some notes or reminders to yourself and put it out of your mind until the morning.

Read a little. Reading can be another wonderful way to quieten body and mind and prepare for sleep. Shut yourself away from any background noise, dim the lights and read a few pages. Try not to read anything too riveting or anything work-related...this is time to relax. As soon as you feel your eyelids dropping, put down the book and drift off to sleep - don't fight the urge to sleep just so you can finish the page - you might miss the 'sleep wave' and end up awake for hours!

Arrange your room. If you can, allow fresh air to circulate through the room while you sleep. Block out the light with blinds or heavy curtains and remove televisions, computers, telephones, mobile phones and other electronic equipment from the room - or at least move them away from the head of your bed. Not only may these prove distracting, but there have been studies which have shown that the various waves and frequencies emitted by electronics can interfere with a sound night's sleep.

Go natural. Try sleeping in the nude - it's liberating and with no clothing to get bunched up, wrapped around you or to overheat you - you may find that you sleep better.

Snuggle up. Either before you go to bed, or if you're lucky - all night long. Having someone to cuddle is one of life's great gifts.

Consider Valerian not Valium. If you are having trouble sleeping there are some very effective herbal remedies which can give you assistance. Valerian is one natural supplement that helps reduce tension, making sleep easier. There are no side effects and you should wake up feeling refreshed. Visit your doctor or healthcare practitioner if you are having ongoing trouble getting a good night's sleep.

Sleep in. Turn off the alarm clock and allow your body to tell you how much sleep it requires on the weekends. You'll enjoy waking up naturally, rather than to a blaring alarm!