Nothing, of course, beats restful natural sleep. But when Mr. Sandman isn't doing his thing, over-the-counter sleeping pills, often consisting of the ingredient in the antihistamine Benadryl, are usually enough to get a good night's sleep. If this doesn't do the trick, the new breed of prescription sleeping pills might help.

Newer sleeping pills -- Ambien and Sonata -- carry much less risk of drug dependence than older medications. Estorra, a somewhat longer-lasting sleeping pill, is nearing U.S. approval. And indiplon, a very-short-acting sleep drug, is in late-stage clinical trials. A delayed-release version of indiplon -- to help people fall asleep and stay asleep -- is also under development.

If you sometimes have trouble getting the sleep you need, ask your doctor whether one of these drugs might help.