Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Set your bedtime early enough to get at least 7 hours of sleep for adults (10 for children).

Take time to unwind and get sleepy. Consider reading, taking a bath, or listening to music as part of your bedtime ritual.

Get rid of any distractions from sleep, such as bright lights, televisions, and other electronics. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows and keep your bedroom a place for rest and intimacy only.

Exercise helps us fall asleep faster, improves deep sleep, and decreases nighttime awakenings. It can take 2-3 hours for your body to cool down after a workout, and this can create sleep difficulties in some people, but not all. Try exercising at different times of the day to see what timeframe improves your sleep the most.

If you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up and try a relaxing activity (no electronics) until sleepy. Worrying about not sleeping makes it challenging to fall asleep.

A temperature between 60 and 67 degrees is optimal for sleep. Also consider blackout curtains, eye masks, earplugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans, and other devices to make the bedroom more relaxing.

10-20 minute naps can boost your brainpower, but naps closer to bedtime make it harder to fall asleep when its time.

The stimulating effects in coffee, tea, sodas, and chocolate can take as long as 8 hours to wear off.

Large meals can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep. Drinking too many fluids can wake you up to use the restroom. Alcohol keeps you in lighter stages of sleep, and you tend to wake up in the middle of the night when sedating effects wear off.

Stimulation from the light of television or phone can make it more difficult to fall asleep.