Getting to sleep can sometimes feel more like a job, and an unattainable one at that. So if you or your kids are struggling to fall asleep, try some of these tips and recommendations to make the task a little bit easier.

Falling asleep tip #1: Turn down the temp

It seems counterintuitive to our ideas about being warm and cozy in bed, but turning down the temperature in your home can actually help you fall asleep. Get snug under as many blankets as you’d like, but turn down the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees. The lower air temperature seems to facilitate sleep better than cozy temperatures do. Experts recommend keeping the temperature between 65 and 72 degrees, but some find they get their best sleep at temps even lower than this.

Falling asleep tip #2: Put your mind on ice

In a study presented at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s SLEEP 2011 conference, insomniacs were significantly helped by wearing a cap that used circulating water to cool the prefrontal cortex (pfc). This treatment had a 75% success rate, helping people fall asleep about as fast and stay sleeping as long as adults without insomnia, compared to only around 25% who are helped by sleeping pills or hypnosis. This is because “when you get into the neurobiology, insomnia is a disorder of hyper-arousal,” says Eric A. Nofzinger, a psychiatrist at the Univ. School of Medicine who participated in the study. When people have trouble sleeping, it’s typically because of hyperactivity in the pfc that keeps their brain mulling over things and preventing sleep from setting in. (Kloc, 2011)

Putting a cool cloth over your forehead (where this area of the brain is located) or wrapping an icepack inside a towel and placing it there can actually settle down some of the neurons that are firing in your brain, just as cold slows down other systems in the body. You might try such cooling techniques for 5 or ten minutes in bed every night and see if it helps. You can also search online for more sophisticated cooling caps.

Getting to sleep tip #3: Go for total darkness

Take some sticky notes and cover up whatever specks of light exist in your room, such as the digital numbers on your alarm clock or the lights on a DVR. Many people don’t realize how disruptive these things are, and covering your alarm clock numbers can also keep you from obsessing about how much time has passed if you can’t get to sleep right away. You might also try using a sleep mask.

Getting to sleep tip #4: Try deep breathing

Place one hand on your body and the other on your chest. Slowly inhale through your nose while counting to 7, and then exhale through the mouth while counting to 8. Repeat the process, and eventually remove the counting while maintaining the same breathing pattern. (More information on focused breathing exercises can also be found in a later chapter.)

Falling asleep tip #5: Strike a bedtime pose

To treat insomnia, Micki Ramondt, a yoga instructor in London and Philadelphia, suggests that you try this technique to prepare for a better night’s rest. Before bed lie on your back with your butt as close to a wall as you can comfortably get it, legs extended up at around a 90 degree angle hip-distance apart, with your heels resting on the wall. Place a folded blanket under your pelvis for additional support and comfort. Stay in this pose for 10 to 20 minutes. It should relax tight muscles all over your body, helping you get a better night’s rest.

Falling asleep tip #6: Dial down the electronics

Avoid technology use shortly before bed. One study that strapped Nokia cell phones to the heads of men and women and then turned them on without their knowledge while monitoring brain wave patterns, found that after a 30 minute exposure to cell signals in talk mode, it took people nearly twice as long to fall asleep as when the phone had been off. This is because the cell waves can stimulate activity in certain regions of the brain. Overall it’s the equivalent of drinking slightly less than half a cup of coffee, but if you’re suffering from insomnia, every little bit can help. (Fields, 2008)

Other research has found that watching television, playing games or reading on a tablet for 2 hours can cause melatonin levels to drop by 22%. So even though these screens may not seem that bright to you, the brain can respond to them just like sunlight. Therefore it’s best to limit technology use as much as you can before bedtime.

Falling asleep tip #7: Create a worry journal

If you find that chronic worries are keeping you up at night, then get a notebook and flashlight to keep by your bed so that you can maintain a worry journal. Rather than stressing about it, just jot it down on paper along with one plan or idea to deal with it in the morning. Then make a pact with yourself to put it out of mind until the morning. It may sound pointless, but this simple action of taking an initial step to confront the problem allows you to put the worry aside for a while and get it out of your mind.