According to the Sleep Foundation, “…lack of sleep has been linked to a higher risk for… type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor mental health, and early death.” It’s shocking how detrimental a lack of sleep can be to our overall health and even lifespan. Thankfully, there are ways to make sure each of us get the adequate amount of shuteye.

First, it’s important to note that everyone should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. How do you help make sure you can reach that goal? Check out these tips below:

• Create a nightly routine. Try to do relaxing activities and go to sleep at the same time every night, even on the weekends. You should also try and wake up at the same time each morning, again including Saturday and Sunday.
• Try to stay off electronics for the hour leading up to bedtime. Screens emit blue light which can trick your body into thinking that it is still daytime, thus making it more difficult to fall asleep.
• If you’re going to have caffeine, make sure to have it earlier in the day. Avoiding caffeine at least six hours before bedtime allows your body time to metabolize it, which will prevent the caffeine from interfering with your sleep.
• Exercising everyday can also help you sleep better. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “People who engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise may see a difference in sleep quality that same night.” Just make sure you give yourself at least one hour between working out and getting in bed, as exercise may wake you up and raise your core body temperature which can make falling asleep difficult.

For more resources check out:

Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/why-do-we-need-sleep

John Hopkins: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep