With so many health problems associated with lack of sleep, it's important to tackle any problems that prevent you nodding off or sleeping through the night. Unfortunately, it's estimated that around one in three of us will suffer from insomnia at some time in our life. We've examined the most common causes and the latest thinking on how to overcome them.

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Your complete guide to getting better sleep 

Stress is probably the number one cause of short-term sleep problems. It boosts the production of hormones that put your body into a state of high alert, stopping you getting deep, restorative sleep.

What to do Process worries well before you go to bed by writing a ‘to do' list for the following day. Initiate a wind-down regime - a warm bath (not a shower, which will wake you up) followed by reading or listening to music. Research by Taiwan University found that listening to music before bedtime triggered physical changes that helped restful sleep.

You may feel the urge to move your legs constantly, have pins and needles in them or a nagging internal itch. Restless leg syndrome affects around 3% of people and about one in five pregnant women, and can be a serious barrier to sleep.

What to do Keeping your legs cool in the evenings and having a fan in the bedroom may help. If the problem persists, talk to your doctor - restless legs can be linked to iron deficiency and to some common drugs, including certain antidepressants and antihistamines.

Night sweats during the menopause are very disruptive to sleep and comfort levels and, although they won't necessarily affect your total sleep time, the constant waking up will affect the quality.

What to do Keep your bedroom cool, wear cotton nightclothes and use lightweight bed covers. HRT is effective at treating hot flushes, which may also be alleviated by food rich in phyto-oestrogens, such as soya products, chick peas and lentils.

Sleep problems, particularly early morning waking, can be a warning sign of depression. Other symptoms are decreased energy levels and persistent feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.

What to do See your doctor as soon as possible. He might suggest talking to a therapist and/or a course of antidepressants. Mild depression may also be helped by complementary therapies, including acupuncture, aromatherapy and St John's Wort.

If you have this condition, whenever you fall asleep, your breathing stops and you wake gasping for breath. It happens throughout the night, but so fleetingly you won't remember it. Sleep apnoea can lead to high blood pressure and may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

What to do If you feel sleepy during the day - and can't understand why - and your partner complains about your snoring, talk to your doctor. If you're overweight, just losing weight and avoiding alcohol at night may help. You may be referred to a sleep clinic and be treated with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device, which pumps pressurised air directly into your lungs.

Shift work, jet lag, getting up and going to bed at different times every day - in fact anything that means you're sleeping when your body wants to be awake and awake when your body thinks it should be asleep - will disrupt your circadian rhythms (your biological clock) and mean that you sleep badly.

What to do A regular routine is important. If you work shifts, get up and go to bed at the same time each day. Avoid long lie-ins to catch up on lost sleep. Eat a high protein/low carb meal when you get up and at ‘lunchtime' to increase alertness, and make the last meal of the ‘day' a high carb/low protein one to help you sleep. If you feel very tired, try taking a 20-minute nap.

Some of the commonest causes of poor sleep are also the simplest to put right. A bedroom that's too hot or too cold, with too much noise or light, or even something as simple as cold feet, can seriously disrupt restful sleep.

What to do Make sure your bedroom is dark (even the glow of a street light or the light from a mobile phone can be disruptive), quiet and warm (but not too hot) and that your bed is comfortable. Clear away clutter and don't use your bedroom for anything but sleeping - and making love, of course - so remove the television and don't read in bed.

Anything that gets your body going - caffeine, nicotine, even exercise - can delay the onset of sleep.

What to do Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the evenings - caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and, while a few drinks will help you nod off, alcohol is likely to disrupt your sleep later. Although exercise will help you to get a good night's rest, doing it within three hours of bedtime will leave your body too charged up to fall asleep.

The answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone and are not substitutes for professional medical advice. If you're worried, see your GP.

For more information, visit www.netdoctor.co.uk