What are the keys to being a power napper? Follow these three simple rules:

* Set aside 30 minutes total — 10 minutes to fall asleep and 20 minutes for the actual nap. Use an alarm.
* Take off your shoes and get comfortable; try to nap in a reclined position on a couch or in your car (but be safe); avoid direct sunlight.
* Avoid napping past 3 p.m. If you nap too late in the day, you can disrupt your nighttime sleep.

Not a napper? Napping isn’t for everyone, so see how it works for you.

* 4 to 6 hours before bed: Stop any caffeine (knock off even earlier if you’re caffeine sensitive).
* 2 to 3 hours before: Don’t eat a full meal. Digesting food (especially a heavy meal) can keep you awake.
* 60 minutes before: Turn off all electronics — yes, the television, too — and dim the lights. Even if you’re in your jammies and not feeling wound up, light signals your brain to stay alert, and mental stimulation (especially from video games, nightly news, Sopranos reruns) makes it harder to fall asleep.
* 30 minutes before: Drink something you find soothing. It could be a cup of chamomile tea; a glass of warm milk; or a splash (not a glass) of brandy, red wine, or some other nightcap that relaxes you. Just limit alcohol intake, because it can awaken you later. If you find it’s a slippery slope, cut it out entirely and switch to herbal tea. Try a warm bath or light reading (no work!).
* 5 minutes before: Make sure your bedroom is dark (or wear an eye mask), quiet (or get a white noise machine or earplugs), slightly cool (crack the window, if needed), and free of distractions (clutter, pets, work piles). G’night . . .

Don’t take your to-do list to bed. Jot down tomorrow’s tasks early in the evening, and stick the list in your bag or on the fridge. This can keep you from anxiously making mental notes the minute your head hits the pillow.

Take something. Sometimes, to kick insomnia and get back on a better sleep cycle, all you need is to break the pattern. One cheap, simple method: Take an antihistamine 30 minutes before bed for 1 to 3 nights (regular Benadryl — not a nondrowsy formula — works fine, says Dr. Amy). It makes many people sleepy, and no prescription is needed.

Other people swear that melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone you can now find in an over-the-counter supplement, helps. But Dr. Wechsler’s not a fan. Why? The amount in different products can vary wildly, despite what’s on the labels. And its long-term safety has yet to be determined. (It’s also highly unlikely that you have a melatonin deficiency; you simply need to establish better sleep habits.)

Try a bedtime snack. The best sleep-inducing nighttime nibble is one that has both complex carbohydrates and a little protein, plus some calcium, which helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.

Get out of the bedroom. You may think that if you lie in bed long enough, sleep will come. Instead, your mind gets busier and your muscles get tenser as you stress over being awake. Give it a rest. If you can’t get to sleep within 20 minutes, slip out of bed and go to a safe haven — a place that is comfy, has dim lighting, and has no distractions like e-mail, TV, or other electronics. Just sit comfortably. Or do your breathing exercises. Or read. You want to give your mind and body a respite from trying so hard to nod off. After 20 minutes or so, go back to bed, and see what happens when you’re more relaxed. Repeat once or twice if necessary.

Make like a corpse. Try doing the yoga corpse pose (savasana). It’s a little like playing dead. Basically, you lie on your back on a cushioned surface, legs slightly rotated out, arms at your sides but not touching your body, palms up. Then, slowly s-i-n-k into the pose, breathing naturally while letting your whole body go limp. Stay in this position for a few minutes, or for as long as you like.

R-e-l-a-x. Progressive relaxation is a simple and effective technique that’s been used since the 1930s. What to do: Stretch out in bed; one by one, squeeze and release all the muscles in your body, starting with your scalp and working down to your toes. Ironically, tightly tensing up your muscles before relaxing them helps muscles relax more than just plain relaxing does.

Let scent send you to sleep. Aromas widely considered to be relaxing are rose, lavender, vanilla, and lemongrass, but different ones work for different people (some people find lavender stimulating). If one calms you, keep a sachet near your pillow at night to whiff at will, or use a scented hand lotion.