Quality not quantity. No matter how much your mother tells you that you need eight hours of sleep, if you're not tired and you can't truly relax, your sleep time will be worthless.
Do not take sleeping pills. This includes over-the-counter pills and melatonin.
Don't go to bed until you're sleepy. If you have trouble sleeping, try going to bed later or getting up earlier.
Get up at the same time every morning, even after a bad night's sleep. The next night, you'll be sleepy at bedtime.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back to sleep, get out of bed and return only when you are sleepy.
Avoid worrying, watching TV, reading scary books, and doing other things in bed besides sleeping and sex. If you worry, read thrillers or watch TV, do that in a chair that's not in the bedroom.
Do not drink or eat anything caffeinated within six hours of bedtime.
Scientists say that a successful midday nap depends on two things: timing and (no kidding) caffeine consumption.
clipped from: howto.wired.com 