Got poor sleep habits?

What's keeping you up at night? Could be some obvious nighttime activities (TV watching, errrr …blogging, etc.)—and some less obvious ones. Take a look at some do's and don't's from our latest Best Buy Drugs report on insomnia drugs—and then, turn off the computer and get some sleep.

• Watching TV in bed. Don't. TV viewing is not conducive to calming down.
• Computer work in bed. Don't work on a computer at all for at least an hour before going to bed.
• Drinking alcoholic or caffeinated drinks at night. Don't drink either for at least 3 hours before going to bed.
• Taking medicines late at night. Many prescription and nonprescription medicines can delay or disrupt sleep. If you take any on a regular basis, check with your doctor about this.
• Big meals late at night. Not ideal especially if you are prone to indigestion or heartburn. Allow at least 3 hours between dinner and going to bed.
• Smoking at night. Don't smoke for at least 3 hours before going to bed. (Better yet: Quit!)
• Lack of exercise. Just do it! Regular exercise promotes healthy sleep.
• Exercise late at night. A no-no. Allow at least 4 hours between exercise and going to bed. It revs up your metabolism, making falling asleep harder.
• Busy or stressful activities late at night. Another no-no. Stop working or doing strenuous house work at least 2 hours before going to bed. The best preparation for a good night’s rest is unwinding and relaxing.
• Varying bedtimes.Going to sleep at widely varying bed times—10:00 p.m. one night and 1:00 a.m. the next—disrupts optimal sleep. The best practice is to go to sleep at around the same time every night, even on the weekends.
• Varying wake-up times. Likewise, the best practice is to wake up around the same time every day (with not more than an hour’s difference on the weekends).
• Spending too much time in bed, tossing and turning. Solving insomnia by spending too much time in bed is usually counter-productive; you’ll become only more frustrated. Don’t stay in bed if you are awake, tossing and turning. Get up and do something else until you are ready to go to sleep.
• Late day napping. Naps can be wonderful but should not be taken after 3:00 pm. This can disrupt your ability to get to sleep at night.
• Poor sleep environment. Noisy, too hot, uncomfortable bed, not dark enough, not the right covers or pillow—all these can prevent a good night’s sleep. Solve these problems if you have them.

Read our latest Best Buy Drugs insomnia report, find out more on why you can't sleep, and take our interactive sleep quiz to see how your sleep habits compare to those of survey respondents.