It looks like I'm not the only one contemplating ways to improve my sleeping habits and patterns. After the big unsurprising revelation last week that Americans are not getting enough rest, people are looking for suggestions that will increase their nightly amount of shut-eye and hopefully help them elude the health risks that come with sleep deprivation.

"Insomnia is a bona fide health problem," says Rubin Naiman, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine and sleep director at the Miraval Resort in Tucson. "Skimping on sleep has a price, including weight gain, diminished immune responses, lack of concentration, irritability, and depression."

"Our society doesn't value sleep," says Phyllis Zee, a professor of neurology at and director of Northwestern University's Sleep Disorders Center. "We see it as a sign of laziness or a waste of time" — so much so that sleeplessness has become something to brag about. Plus, "the culture we've created is geared to keeping us awake," Zee says. Our minds are constantly aroused by stress, caffeine, and even e-mail. "Scans of metabolic activity in the brain show that people who suffer from insomnia have more activity than people without sleep problems when they're trying to get to sleep," Zee says. "When people say, 'I can't turn my brain off at night,' they're actually right."

Now the experts are all weighing in with potential strategies that can help prevent these negative effects by encouraging a restful night. Some of them are similar to those I wrote about earlier this weekend and some are natural, but the one thing they have in common is that all have been tested and the "challenges" they present are acknowledged.

Get Physically Tired
The challenge: The results were immediate and dramatic: After never working out, we found that we fell asleep far more quickly and slept far longer on days when we jogged for 30 minutes on the treadmill. We also woke up during the night just once — rather than two or three times — on those days.

Cut back on caffeine
The challenge: We scaled back our normal five cups of coffee a day by a half-cup per day as prescribed, but we still had pretty vicious headaches. And although it did help our ability to fall — and stay — asleep at night, we felt tired all day. On the fifth day, the headaches subsided, but the general fatigue did not. After day ten, we chose to go back to two cups per day and not after noon — and our sleep is still better.

Take a supplement
The challenge: Our significant other clocked us falling asleep only about five minutes faster after taking melatonin. We still woke up twice during the night.

Adjust your attitude
The challenge: We've often wondered whether our panic about never sleeping well was a self-fulfilling prophecy — and it turns out, it was. We found we tossed and turned less once we told ourselves that we didn't have a larger sleep issue.

I tried the cutting back on caffeine once myself as per my doctor's orders and lasted all of one day. The headache was so bad and the fact that I kept nodding off and nearly slamming my drooping head on my desk seemed to negate any benefits my coffee sacrifice may have had. However realizing it's important for my health, I'm seeking out altnernatives such as drinking tea in the afternoons and switching to decaf in the evenings. I also find after increasing my levels of physical activity over the past two years, my energy levels have climbed during the day, but I'm much less restless at night. My long-winded point is that though I'm no scientist or sleep expert,  I've tried some of these suggestions and they are definitely not without merit. 

Hit the jump to read all 10 sleeping strategies, why they may work and their potential challenges and side effects.

» MSNBC Health