Are you struggling to sleep at night? Do you try to rest only to find your mind wandering and important hours slipping away? Are you looking for new and proven ways to get a really good night’s sleep so that your day can be productive and healthy? Researchers have proven that when you don’t get enough sleep it can lead to other issues with your body — including being temperamental, unfocused and even lethargic. You want to put your very best foot forward every day, and that means being able to truly get a good night’s rest. Follow our guide of five tips to get there and start sleeping easy:

Tip #1: Start to Wind Down

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Set a time for your bedtime, and about an hour before, start to prepare to wind down. You can make a routine out of this that you can follow every night. Eventually it will become habit. You’ll watch to cut out distractions — like TV and your smart phone. The best thing to do is to turn off all electronics at least an hour before bed. Looking at the light from your screen tells your brain that it is still time to be awake. By shutting everything off, your brain can then shut down and prepare you for rest. You might commence your bedtime routine every night by lighting a candle, taking a hot shower or bath, playing peaceful music, changing the sheets of your bed, and doing some kind of soothing activity like reading a meditation or a poem. The routine really is up to you, but it’s important to create a habit that really helps wind your body down so that it is not distracted from sleep.

Tip #2: Don’t Eat or Drink Caffeine Before Bed

You don’t want to hear your stomach growling — or worse yet experience indigestion — before bed. The same goes for being kept up by stimulants have caffeine. Instead, opt for a soothing, decaffeinated herbal tea. Drinking a cup of coffee before bed probably won’t help you fall asleep, it will just keep you awake and then you won’t get a sufficient amount of sleep. By the time the caffeine wears off, you won’t get nearly as much sleep as you should. Drink enough water to stay hydrated but go to the bathroom before bed so you don’t get a wake-up call from your bladder in the middle of the night. Try not to eat or drink anything an hour before bedtime. This will help to alleviate the urge to get up and go to the bathroom or fight an upset stomach.

Tip #3: Avoid Naps

Researchers have proven that the 20-minute power nap can do you good in the middle of the day. But if you have trouble sleeping, you’ll want to avoid any kind of snoozing during the day. It’s much better to create a routine sleep cycle by getting up every day around the same time and turning in around the same time. You’re trying to teach your body how to operate and prepare for sleep. Every person needs a differing amount of sleep, but you’ll find that you are ready for bed if you avoid naps. Another pro tip: Exercise daily. When you exercise, your body is pushed to a limit of being tired and actually needs a physical recovery like sleep. So instead of napping during your lunch hour, try exercising. By the time it’s bedtime, your body may be ready for sleep.

Tip #4: Improve the Quality of Your Bed

If your bed is not comfortable, then you may have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. Make sure you’re purchasing a new mattress about every eight years — if you sleep on it regularly. If you can’t afford a new mattress, a soft mattress topper can instantly add comfort to your mattress. It fits quickly and easily over your mattress — and the best part of all is it’s washable. You’ll add instant softness to a hard mattress so that you can be more comfortable as you sleep.

Other things that can make your bed feel more comfortable is a fresh set of clean sheets and blankets. There is nothing worse than climbing into bed on dirty sheets that smell like 2-years worth of sweat and dander. Clean your blankets and sheets then get comfortable in your bed and drift off into a nice smelling and soothing sleep.

Getting a good night’s sleep is never about one single factor. There are many contributing factors that may be preventing you from getting your best night’s sleep. But with a little effort — and following our guide of four top tips — you’re making effort in the right direction. The more you try tips like these or some relaxation techniques mentioned here, the better you will get at reading your body and knowing what you need to do to take care of it. If you continue to struggle to sleep well, it may be worth it to go to your doctor and take part in a sleep study. Some people, for example, do not sleep because they have a sleep disorder or are snoring and don’t even know it. Sleep well!

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