Sleep is essential to allow the body to rebuild. After the rigors of the day and the stress of our modern lives, sleep allows us to escape the daily rituals and demands that can damage our health.

With the requirements to meet the challenges of everyday life, our bodies undergo damaging stress. The average person today only gets 70 to 80 percent of needed sleep. Work and school are time-consuming activities. Then we try to cram in entertainment and house-keeping on top of that. No wonder our bodies rebel with symptoms such as ulcers, insomnia, allergies and nervous disorders.

The list of ways to ruin our sleep is long, but here are five factors that contribute to sleep problems. Use these tips to improve your sleep habits and the results will be reflected in better overall health.

1. Consuming drinks with high-caffeine content just prior to going to bed can cause sleeplessness. For some people, high levels of consumption during the day can also have a carry-over effect on sleep.

2. Watching late news programs is disturbing and can contribute to sleep-related problems. This affects some people more than others. The more horrific circumstances are, the more likely that the events will be covered on the news.