Since last week, my sleep pattern has been all over the place. It's not that I have difficulty getting asleep, but more a problem of waking up at odd hours and not being able to get back to sleep in a decent amount of time.

So here is what I do when insomnia strikes, or when I know I might have a hard time sleeping.

One of my favourite tip is to spray my pillows with some Lavender Essential Oil. I got mine at Boots while in the UK but most drugstores stock essential oils. Be careful though! Don't spritz too much or you'll have the opposite effect! 1-2 drops is enough.

If I know I'll have a hardtime to get asleep, I'll either pop two Relaxol capsules or take some Bach's Rescue Night's drops. The first one is a Canadian product, but I can't seem to find anything on the Internet about it. My mum and I have been using it for over 20 years. As for Bach's Rescue Night, it is sold in North America as Rescue Sleep. Even though both are natural remedies (valerian in Relaxol and white chestnut in Bach's), I don't use them everyday, as I don't want to get addicted to any substance.

I also like to drink herbal tea a couple of hours before going to sleep. I'm careful not to drink too close to bedtime, as otherwise I spend my time in the bathroom! My favourite includes S Sens Night of Dreams (camomile and mint) and Camomile Spray.

When I wake up in the middle of the night, I will usually listen to some podcasts or audios. I have tried  tapes with "relaxing" sounds, but those were exciting me. What I found helps me the most is Jody Whiteley's hypnotic videos. Her voice is so soothing, that I usually fall asleep within the first 5 minutes.

What are your favourite tricks to have a good night's sleep?