Catch some ZZZs

If sweet slumber eludes you, reinvent your routine. "Choose hours to sleep and wake that give you sufficient rest, and keep to those hours seven days a week," says New York City naturopath Sarah Cimperman, N.D. She and Oregon naturopath Michelle Jackson, N.D., share their favorite ways to find replenishing shut-eye.

1 A protein-rich bedtime snack helps keep blood sugar from plummeting overnight. One hour before hitting the sack, munch on a slice of cheese, a handful of almonds or a cup of yogurt.

2 A tension-melting, 30-minute bath readies you for dreamland. Add 10 to 15 drops of lavender essential oil to promote blissful drowsiness. The sandman of essential oils, lavender acts as a mild sedative. Put a few drops on a cotton ball and place it near your pillow, or add 10 drops of lavender to 1 cup of almond oil and use the blend in a full-body massage.

3 For a gentle but effective sleep aid, sip warm herbal tea. Catnip and chamomile varieties are particularly soothing--drink one cup after you've bundled up in your robe and slippers.

4 Valerian, a botanical that calms the nervous system and eases muscle spasms, brings on restful slumber without causing next-day grogginess. Take 150 to 300 milligrams of a supplement with standardized 0.8 percent valerenic acid 45 minutes before bedtime.

5 TheraCeuticals International offers a selection of calming Chinese herbs in its Certain Sleep formula. Two-and-a-half hours before bed, take two capsules of this blend of jujube seed, polygala, Chinese thoroughwax, schisandra, magnesium and zinc.

6 Rub a few dabs of Badger's olive oil-based Sleep Balm on your lips, pulse points, neck and shoulders to wind down with calming essential oils. Bergamot oil helps relieve insomnia, while rosemary oil quells stress and anxiety.

7 Low levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles, can trigger chronic insomnia. Supplementing with 1 to 3 milligrams one hour before bed helps get your sleep schedule back on track.

8 Tryptophan, the nap-inducing ingredient in turkey, is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, two key hormones for healthy sleep. Try taking 1 to 3 grams of the supplement 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Or make a couple of turkey slices your nightly protein snack.

9 Elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol can disrupt sleep. Right before your nightly protein snack, take two capsules of Seriphos by InterPlexus; it contains phosphorylated serine, an amino acid that helps keep cortisol levels in check.

10 If stiff muscles are keeping you from dozing off, relax with 300 milligrams of magnesium taken one hour before your scheduled sleep time.

(11) When tucking yourself in for a little night reading, light up an Aroma Naturals Relaxing candle and breathe in the sweet scents of peace-promoting lavender and tangerine.

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