You may know that insomnia can be directly related to how much stress you have in your life, so the first thing to do is try to decrease it! This may take some time, and exercise of any type is very helpful. I suggest the passive ones for insomniacs because you learn about slowing everything down and you can do the poses of tai chi or yoga anytime and anywhere.

Lavender, such a soothing her for the skin

In a booklet on aromatherapy entitled: Aromatherapy: It’s Not an Old Wives’ Tale Anymore, Bernie Ward describes how oils such as lavender can help with sleep.
Oils that are calming include lavender, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, juniper berry and ylang-ylang.
All you need is a few drops in your bath or a tiny drop behind your neck before bed. I use lavender because it is so soothing to the skin.
You can also blend all of these oils together. Here is a recipe:
3 drops lavender, 3 drops ylang-ylang, 2 drops Roman Chamomile and 2.5 teaspoons of carrier oil.
Before going to bed, massage your face, neck and shoulders with this mixture!

Lavender is a great plant to grow. It is powerful in many ways: treating burns, a natural antibiotic and detoxifier. Lavender can stimulate the immune system. As an antidepressant and sleep inducer, lavender can help with insomnia.

Taken in part from: Ward, B. ( 1995)  Aromatherapy: It’s Not An Old Wives’ Tale Anymore. Boca, Raton, Fl. Globe Communications