Quiz: What's Wrecking Your Sleep?

There's usually a reason you're tossing and turning. Illness, heartburn, hot flashes, and what you eat and drink can keep you up. So can anxiety, stress, and depression.

While alcohol can make you drowsy, it won't help you get a good night's rest. You're more likely to wake up when its effects wear off. More than a drink or two after dinner can keep you from getting the deep sleep you need.

A lot of medicines can get in the way of a good night's rest. Some antidepressants, over-the-counter pain relievers, and decongestants can disrupt your sleep. So can some heart and blood pressure medications like beta-blockers and diuretics.

If you wake up and can't get back to sleep in 15 to 20 minutes, the worst thing you can do is stay put and watch the clock.

Get up and go to another room. Read, take a bath, have a light snack, or do something quiet. When you feel sleepy, get back into bed.

The right routine can help you shift from daytime frenzy to nighttime slumber.

For example, go to bed and wake up at the same times every day. Avoid caffeine 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. Finish dinner several hours before you go to sleep. And don't drink too much water. If you do, you may wake up because you need to use the bathroom.

If you have it, your airway gets blocked, which wakes you up. It might happen hundreds of times a night, though you may not remember in the morning. Your partner might tell you that you snore loudly, snort, or gasp.

People with sleep apnea have a high risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.

It can help you find out why you can't get the quality sleep you need.

Keep a record for 1 week of things like when you went to bed, how often you woke up during the night, and how many caffeinated drinks you had during the day.

Bring your sleep diary with you to your next doctor appointment. Then you and your doctor can come up with a plan for getting the ZZZs you need.

Get active if you want to sleep better. People who exercise say they sleep better than those who don't.

Try to work out at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week. For most people, it's OK to do it any time -- even near bedtime. But if you have trouble sleeping and your doctor has told you not to exercise at night, follow that advice.

A "white noise" device in your bedroom can help you tune out outside distractions, such as barking dogs and loud cars.

Try not to watch TV or use a computer before bedtime. Some studies suggest the light from those devices can lower your levels of melatonin, the hormone that brings on sleep.

You may get relief for a few days, but they don't work well in the long run.

Many people who take over-the-counter sleeping pills feel tired the next day. That can be due to a "hangover" effect of the medication. These drugs may not completely stop working after 8 hours.