LACK of sleep may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack.

In one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Some researchers believe that insomnia can trigger the body to release the stress hormone called cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

One of the methods to get easy sleep is self-hypnosis which according to Dr. Mark P. Jensen, Ph.D, vice chair for research in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington, works better in calming the brain.

He said self-hypnosis works because when the brain focuses on something absorbing, it becomes more calm and open to suggestions. With this method, hypnosis lessens overall brain activity including in the areas linked to feelings of anxiety.

Here are other techniques one may try:

* Listen for three things (such as the hum of your air conditioner or your partner’s breathing).

* See three things (think about images of your favorite place or a big blue sky).

* Feel three things (maybe soft sheets against your skin, a cool breeze from an open window).

* Repeat by listening, seeing, and feeling two things, and then go down to one thing each.  It’s okay to lose count as you begin to drift off—just start over and keep repeating until you’re fully asleep.