We all know how important sleep is to a healthy lifestyle. If you have problems sleeping, you may find yourself purchasing OTC sleeping pills and they can be quite expensive. Not to mention that they can also be habit forming and they might not even be safe. How can you get a better night's sleep and stick to a budget? This week, let's look at several tips for better sleep.

Kick caffeine out of your life. Not only does caffeine keep you awake, but it's bad for your health as well. There are a variety of decaffeinated products, but water really is your best option. If you do find that you can't kick the caffeine habit, at least limit caffeine consumption to the early part of your day.

Stop taking naps! This is easier said than done, but once you get into a rhythm of sleeping certain hours, it will be easier to sleep at night. You may be exhausted during the first few days, but you'll sleep like a rock at night. Another tip is to keep the same sleeping hours. Instead of sleeping until noon on the weekends, only sleep in by an hour or so. That way, you don't stay up too late on Sunday night and feel drained Monday morning.

Exercise early in the day. You may think that you need to exercise in the evenings because you have more time. The only problem is that exercising in the evening makes it difficult to sleep. Exercise gets the blood pumping and that's why it's perfect to do in the mornings. You can quickly do a few exercises before getting ready for work and there will be no need for naps.

If you do need something to help you sleep, there are a number of safer options. For example, there are a variety of different teas that help induce sleep. Another option is to take melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the body, but as we get older less melatonin is produced making it more difficult to sleep. Melatonin is not only safer than certain sleeping aids, but it's a lot more affordable as well. A bottle of 300 costs less than $10.

The world of the gym (or health club, recreation center and YMCA) may seem daunting at first, but it can be well worth it. Some churches now have health clubs for members, like the mega-church Southeast Christian in Louisville, Kentucky, where worshipers can bike, treadmill walk or aerobicise their way to physical fitness.

For those who don't have a lot of money or a mega-church in their life, gym memberships have become much cheaper than before. Even chains like 24 Hour Fitness usually only charge $30 to $55 a month, depending on your city and health club plan. The best bet is still to put on your sneakers and go to a recreation center or YMCA. Recreation centers usually charge a fee of $25 or less and charge extra for aerobics classes or yoga. YMCAs often charge $50 a month but have low-income plans of $25 or even less per month, especially for those with children.

Once you join a gym, you might be wondering where to take those tennis shoes from here. Most facilities offer a free tour and some personal training. Some of the machines might look strange, and if you're a novice exerciser, learning proper form is important. If you are at a local recreation center, your choices are probably going to be limited to the basics, such as exercise bikes and treadmills. Recreation centers in major cities tend to be a bit more creatively stocked.

Many facilities have swimming pools and even aqua aerobics classes. You don't have to be a master swimmer to enjoy the benefits of the water. If the pool has waist or chest high water, you can walk the length of it safely and get a killer aerobic workout without putting your joints at risk. Even if part of your facility's pool has a deep end, you can walk in circles at the shallow end.

Aerobic and yoga classes, along with stationary cycling and treadmill walking or running, are also great for beginners. It doesn't matter how much money you have or don't have, how good of shape your body is in or is not, because getting started at a gym is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.