Sleep better tonight!

Once Ottawa's Carrie Kristal-Schroder is snuggled in her bed sound asleep, not even a drummer in her hallway could wake her up. However, it's getting to la-la land that's the problem for the 42-year-old working mother of two. "I can't shut my mind off," she says, "and the more physically tired I am, the less able I am to fall asleep." Relaxation techniques, crossword puzzles and a notepad beside the bed to jot down worries help her to drop off, but bedtime is often still a battle.

Kristal-Schroder's got plenty of company. Stress keeps one-third of Canadians from nodding off at least once a week, according to a poll by Better Sleep Council Canada, a mattress-industry group. If you've spent nights staring at the ceiling yourself, or suffer from a sleep disorder (see When to get help), you know the next day's a nightmare – you nod off during meetings, make frustrating mistakes and feel all-around miserable. Since quality sleep is as essential for good health as nutritious food and plenty of fluids are, when we don't get enough, our bodies really feel it.

And stress isn't the only thing keeping women awake – unfortunately, shut-eye thieves lurk everywhere. So, next time you find yourself sleepwalking through yet another day, perk up just enough to tackle these common sleep robbers and count your way down to a really good night's sleep.

Prying yourself out from under your cosy duvet may be torture, but if you've been asleep for between seven and eight hours, it may be worth it. Log any more and you may wake up feeling drained and then tired all day, according to researchers at the University of California at San Diego.

What to do about it

It's not easy to climb straight into bed after work – especially in the morning, when everyone else is just starting the day. Shift work knocks your body's natural 24-hour clock (or circadian rhythm) out of whack, so you've got to fool yourself into thinking daytime is the right time for eight hours' sleep.

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found there are three things you can do to adapt faster to shift work: get bright light during the shift (talk to your employer about improving light quality), wear dark sunglasses on the commute home and then go to sleep in a very dark room as soon as possible after you get home.

What to do about it

Skip your regular afternoon power walk (or tennis match or swim) and the disruption won't just affect your energy level, mood and overall health – it will also hurt your sleep. But so can too much exercise, especially late in the day, such as an afternoon of heavy gardening or a long hike. Scientists in Massachusetts and at the University of Toronto have found that if non-exercisers tackle intense aerobic or resistance activity out of the blue, they're likely to toss and turn at night.

What to do about it

Whether you've got a lumpy mattress, a flat pillow or a bright street light shining through your window, a less-than-perfect sleep environment can result in a short and shallow night's sleep. Aesthetics aside, a room that isn't quiet, comfy and dark enough to keep you asleep for seven to eight hours isn't doing its job. Your body needs to be supported physically – we move around about 40 times a night in order to keep our skin from breaking down – and psychologically, as well.

What to do about it

While you may be an awesome sleeper, if your partner isn't, you'll suffer. Earlier this year, a U.S. survey found one in four adults who share a bed say that their beloved's snoring, insomnia or tossing and turning disrupts their sleep. For chronic health problems – snoring, insomnia, teeth grinding among them – see your doctor.

What to do about it

Don't top off a busy day with a stack of stimulating activities in the evening – your brain may not shut up when you turn down the covers. Dr. Paul Caldwell, a family physician in Coburg, Ont., and author of Sleep: The Complete Guide to Sleep Disorders and a Better Night's Sleep (Key Porter), says overstimulation is a key cause of sleep troubles. Remember, going to sleep isn't like flipping off a light switch. Nodding off is more like turning down the dimmer in the dining room – a slow gradual process that brings you into darkness.

What to do about it

Pay attention to your breath, then inhale and gently squeeze your thumb. Exhale and release. Do this eight to 10 times, pause, then do the same with your index finger. Pause again, and go back and forth between the thumb and finger. If you practise this often, it should bring you to a calm state – a handy trick when you wake up at 4 a.m.

Women experience a host of unique sleep stealers, from PMS symptoms to pregnancy to menopause with its hot flashes – a notorious cause of wakefulness. But surprisingly, low estrogen levels may not be to blame. Researchers in Michigan found that women in their 40s (who are still menstruating) experience more sleep disturbances than women in their 20s. This suggests a woman's age – and not her estrogen changes – may be causing sleep woes, explains Jane Lukacs, assistant research scientist at the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan. The downside? We may have to accept that getting enough sleep becomes more challenging with age.

What to do about it

You're in bed, you've slipped into sleep and then, poof, your eyes pop open again. We all awaken several times a night for a few seconds – you won't notice you're awake; still, your senses will be checking your environment to make sure you're not in any danger, says Dr. Caldwell. Plus, there is a whole host of sleep disturbances that can wake us, from anxiety to newborns to bathroom breaks. What's important is how you react to these problems. Avoid alerting your brain too much by flipping on lights or making noise. The goal? To keep your mind lulled, calm and under-stimulated.

What to do about it

When to get help If you suffer from sleep deprivation for more than two weeks and you can't easily point to a cause, such as a big project at work, talk to your doctor. The three most common sleep disorders in women are: Insomnia is not an ailment: it's a symptom brought on by other problems such as stress. You may have insomnia if it takes you more than 45 minutes to fall asleep or you have trouble staying asleep, according to Meir Kryger, Winnipeg-based author of Can't Sleep, Can't Stay Awake: A Woman's Guide to Sleep Disorders (HarperCollins). Sleep apnea is a condition that results from soft tissue in the back of your throat blocking the airway, stopping your breathing many times throughout the night. You may have sleep apnea if you constantly wake up feeling tired or with a headache. Unlike snoring, which is noisy but allows air in, sleep apnea features moments of silence when you're not breathing at all. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) affects 10 per cent of all women and is often caused by an iron deficiency. RLS usually pops up for the first time during pregnancy and is accompanied by an urge to move your legs around in bed and a creepy-crawly sensation under the skin.