If you're like most people, you need eight hours of sleep per night. If you don't get it, you're tired, cranky, and no fun to be around. It's normal to occasionally have trouble falling or staying asleep, but if you're constantly waking up unrefreshed, you must address the problem now. Belinda Hayward, a nutritionist, herbalist, and health coach who has helped many patients battle insomnia (and who has struggled with the condition herself ), explores how to get a good night's sleep in this self-help guide. Tips include: • Avoid alcohol, which increases the production of stress hormones and interferes with brain chemistry and sleep cycles. It may get you to sleep initially, but as the liver works to break it down, it will often cause you to wake up. • Get a healthy intake of tryptophan, which is an essential amino acid found in turkey and other meats, bananas, milk, eggs, oats, cottage cheese, fish, and seeds. • Structural problems in the body affect function or mobility and can lead to other problems, including poor sleep and digestive complaints. A misalignment of cervical cord one (C1) can present as nervousness and insomnia. Reclaim happiness, boost productivity, and discover energy you never knew you had with this guide to improving sleep.