TIPS FOR GETTING SOME ZZZs:

Stay on schedule -- even on weekends
Going to sleep and getting up at about the same time every day gives your body the cues it needs to nod off. (Attempting to catch up on your zzz's over the weekend will usually result in a sleepless Sunday night.)

In order to get the best rest possible, try to turn in early. "Studies suggest that if you normally need eight hours of sleep and you get them between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., you'll feel more rested than if you go to sleep at midnight and get up at 8 a.m.," says David Simon, M.D., medical director of the Chopra Center in La Jolla, California. Although this may seem impossible for college students, trying your best to keep a regular schedule will surely help.

Exercise regularly -- but not too close to bedtime
Working out increases the time your body spends in deep sleep, the stage during which your body repairs its cells and refreshes the immune system. But exercising less than three hours before lights out can leave you too pumped up to sleep.

Cut the caffeine
Switch to decaf at least six hours before bedtime, recommends the National Sleep Foundation.

Say no to nicotine and nightcaps
Cigarettes are a powerful stimulant that can keep you jittery for hours. And though you may feel like nodding off after you have a drink or two, once the effects of alcohol wear off, sleep actually becomes more fitful.

Dine early -- and keep it light
Eating a big meal in the evening isn't conducive to sleep, the body can't rest while it's digesting. It is best to consume a light dinner close to four hours before bed time ,but don't go to bed hungry -- it's hard to fall asleep when your stomach is growling. If you need a snack, opt for a couple of cookies or crackers; carbohydrates are known to increase levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which is thought to produce deeper sleep.

Keep cool
A cool room -- between 60 and 65 degrees F -- makes for optimal sleeping.  As cozy as it may feel, snuggling under a crush of heavy blankets can make your body temperature too high for deep sleep.

Draw the shades
The absence of light is crucial to sleep. It's darkness -- including that provided by your eyelids -- that allows the release of melatonin, a hormone produced in the pineal gland when we normally sleep. If your bedroom is lit up (either by street lights or a night owl roommate), try investing in a sleep mask or darker curtains.

Noises off
Consider using earplugs if you sleep with a snorer or live on or near a loud street.

Choose a mattress that passes muster
Besides offering comfortable support (that is, the same alignment as when you're in good standing posture), a mattress should be spacious enough to allow for free and easy movement. For most couples, that means a queen- or king-size mattress.

Soak your way to slumber
Take a hot bath or shower two hours before bed time will cause your body temperature to rise as your temperature comes down, it will help make you sleep.

Reserve your bed for sleep and sex
You want your body to associate the bed with sleeping and making love -- nothing else. If you like to read or watch TV before hitting the hay, do so on the couch or in a chair -- preferably one in the living room.

Lay off the PC

Try and liit computer time a few hours before bed time. The light of the computer can cause trouble sleeping.

De-stress

In order to fall asleep, you have to get your mind to quiet down. Some relaxation techniques include listening to calming music, inhaling scents you find soothing, and practicing body awareness, in which you direct your attention to any place in your body where you're holding tension and, slowly and deeply, breathe into it.