It can take several days, if not weeks, to recover from a spell of sleeplessness. Keep in mind that habitual good sleeping is the best way to recover sleep and start feeling balanced again. Relax and give yourself time to recoup your "sleep debt," which are the hours of sleep lost that must be repaid.

If anxiety - from work stress, home life, or sources unknown - is preventing sleep, then reducing sleep debt is only part of the solution. Although we can't ask the world to stop being hectic, we can add stress-reduction techniques into the daily regime so we can manage the stress better.

Easy stress reduction techniques

• Moderate exercise, 10-15 minutes a day, may be as effective for combating anxiety as prescription medications. Take a walk after dinner, for example, and make it a ritual.

• A hot bath is not just for lonely romantics. A 20 minute bath relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and eases the mind by limiting distractions.  The sharp drop in body temperature after a hot bath also makes it easier to fall asleep as well.

• Aromatherapy can induce relaxation through the power of association. Try lavender or tea tree oil in a burner, or add a few drops into the hot bath you're already going to draw.

• Listen to relaxing music before bed. This little ritual prevents you from working until the moment you sleep, as well as benefit from the well-known mind-calming powers of music therapy.

• Try yoga if you haven't already. Yoga for relaxation focuses on breath, which is one of the most ancient ways of reducing stress and quieting the chatter of the mind. There's plenty of free yoga tutorials online so you can practice in your home.

• Reduce stimulants until you feel more rested. This could include caffeine and nicotine, or mind-stimulants like watching the evening news before bed or working until you pass out every night.  Light, especially bright and/or blue light from laptops and T.V.s can also make it harder to wind down.

Bottom line: Create a peaceful space to begin winding down an hour before you plan to sleep, and engage only in relaxing endeavors until you hop into bed.