Patients can often sleep better by improving their “sleep hygiene”.  This includes measures such as regular aerobic exercise, not eating late at night, avoiding caffeinated products (coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate) in the evenings, take a warm bath before bed, avoiding alcohol (which inhibits REM sleep), avoiding daytime naps/dozing and using the bed only for sleep (don’t read or watch TV in bed).  Sleeping pills are not a good long term solution for poor sleep habits.