We spend about one-third-of our lives sleeping. During this time, our body grows stronger and our

brain rests. Humans need different amounts of sleep

at different stages of life. Children usually need more

sleep compared to adults because they are still

growing. Older people need to sleep for shorter

period of time. Generally, most people need eight

hours of sleep a night.

A lot of people, however, don't get enough sleep.

Many of us are under a lot of pressure because of the

busy nature of modern life. This causes problems for

the part of the brain that controls our emotions. If you

have trouble sleeping, you should prepare for your

sleep by taking a warm bath, listening to slow music,

or drinking warm milk. Milk contains melatonin, a

chemical which causes us to feel sleepy

Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in

your quality of life. It is good to take work materials,

computers and televisions out of the sleeping

environment. Spend the last hour before bed doing a

calming activity such as reading. For some people,

using an electronic device such as a laptop can make it

hard to fall asleep, because the particular type of light

from the screens of these devices is activating the

brain.