No matter how you look at it, a good night's sleep is necessary for physical and mental well-being. The following tips will help you to not only fall asleep, but will ensure your night's sleep is peaceful and fully restorative. Be sure to read the entire list for some tips that may surprise you.

1. Exercise, ideally everyday. This positive stress will tire out your body in a good way -- just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime (within three hours), as it could keep you up.

2. Drink a cup of relaxing tea, like chamomile.

3. Stretch a bit before you lie down. You can literally stretch out some of the "kinks" and tension of the day.

4. Wear earplugs or an eye mask. If you can hear noisy traffic or see lights from outside,earplugs and an eye mask can give you the silence and the darkness that are ideal for sleep.

5. Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a bath before bed, brush your teeth, get into your PJs and turn on some soothing music that will let your mind know it's time for slumber.

6. Once you are in bed, listen to a relaxation CD like the Sleep Easy CD to help you "shift gears" and relax into sleep.

7. Don't drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages near your bedtime.

8. Keep to a regular schedule that includes a standard time to go to sleep and wake up.

9. Make your room "sleepable." A very dark, cool room is best for sleep.

10. Get a handle on your stress. It is the number-one cause of sleep problems, according to sleep experts.

11. Put the kibosh on work before bed. If you work or do other mentally trying activities too close to bedtime, you may have a hard time relaxing for sleep