7 things you can do to sleep better

We all know that just one night with too little sleep can impact work performance.

But, says Lizette Bester, an executive at employee risk management company Agility Corporate: "When a person is routinely not getting enough quality sleep, it can have significant ramifications for their productivity and, consequently, for their employer."

She says that research has shown that sleep deprivation costs US businesses in absenteeism, workplace accidents and lost productivity.

There are many factors that can contribute to poor sleep and sleep deprivation. "Parents of young children, for example, can reasonably expect disrupted sleep for the first few months following a baby's birth.

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Working couples are often able to share the nocturnal childcare responsibilities to limit the impact on their performance during the day," Bester says.

She has the following advice on how to improve the quality of your sleep:

• Your bedroom needs to be dark - make sure there is no light, including the light from an electronic alarm clock, to interrupt your sleep;

• Be vigilant about switching off all electronic devices, including cellphones, TVs and laptops, at least an hour before bedtime;

• Caffeine keeps your heart rate high and prevents you from getting enough sleep. So avoid drinking anything with caffeine (coffee, tea and Coke, for example) from early afternoon;

• Incorporate regular exercise into your day, and do not have a large meal just before bedtime;

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day;

• Napping can make it hard to get a good night's sleep, so limit snoozes; and

• Avoid alcohol, especially on "school nights", as it can make good-quality rapid eye movement sleep unattainable.