Before going to sleep you should say Shema and Hamapil.

You should say Shema and the first Parsha. It is preferable to say the whole Kriyas Shema and to say Kal Melech Naamon beforehand (so you will be saying 248 words) as a protection for your 248 limbs.

Most have the custom to say  Yhi Noam etc..

• Should you or should you not say Hamapil if you have difficulty falling to sleep?
• When should you say Hamapil, before Shema or the last?
• Can you speak after saying Shema?
• What happens if you are hungry or thirsty after saying Shema?
• Can you say Asher Yozar after Shema?
• Are you allowed to speak if it is important?
• Should you say Hamapil when sleeping on a plane?

• Some say Hamapil before say Kriyas Shema. Some say it after Kriyas Shema.  If you are afraid you may fall asleep while saying Shema you should say Hamapil before Shema.
• Some say at it after Adon Olam right before going to sleep.
• You may say Yoshev B’Seser etc… after Hamapil because the purpose of saying it is to protect you while you sleep.
• The minimum that you need to say is the first Parsha (paragraph of Shema) and Hamapil.

Question:

If you have difficulty falling asleep or you are concerned the baby may need you before you fall asleep, should you say Hamapil?

 Answer:

It is a question if the Brocho of Hamapil is a Brocho on sleeping (as the Brocho you make before eating food) or it to praise HKBH  that he created sleep. The difference between the two reasons;

• If you have to say it right before you fall asleep or you can say it earlier.
• If you can say it if you have difficulty falling asleep and you might not fall asleep.

The opinion of many Poskim is that it is Brocho to praise HKBH on that he created sleep and therefore you should say Hamapil even if you have difficulty falling asleep.

Therefore even if you have difficulty falling asleep or you might be disturbed by your baby you should say Hamapil.

If you are sure you will not be able to fall asleep you shouldn’t say it.

You should say it as close as possible to falling to sleep.

• After saying Hamapil you should preferably not speak, eat or drink.
• If you feel you need to drink or eat or you want to say something important you may.
• After eating, drinking or speaking you should say over the first paragraph of Shema.

• If after saying Hamapil you remember that you haven’t davened Maariv or you forgot to count the S’fira or you forgot to say Kiddush Levana (on the last day) you should daven/count S’fira/say Kiddush L’vana. 
• You may say Asher Yozar after Hamapil.

It is preferable to say Shema sitting or standing.
You may say lying down. When saying it lying down you should not be lying on your back or stomach, you should say it lying on your side.