Environmental temperature can have a huge impact on your sleep cycle. Julie explained that “core body temperature” impacts the body in a strong way as your body works on a 24-hour cycle (your body clock). So, at different times of the day, your body temperature will naturally rise and fall. Julie says, “to help your body acclimatize for optimum sleep, I recommend that my clients take a warm bath before bed. This will help lower your body temperature, as when you step out the bath, the moisture will evaporate from your skin, which in turn will cool you down.”

It is of extreme importance that you keep your mattress, your sheets, and pillowcases clean so that you don't get any allergies from bacteria and dust that can accumulate on them. So, try to wash your sheets and pillowcases frequently (weekly) and occasionally clean your mattresses with a vacuum.

Too much exposure to blue light from phones and electronics is really harmful to us but we're all guilty of engaging with them for long hours. Julie explains that “these devices all emit a potent blue light that upsets the internal body clock by delaying the release of the sleep hormone melatonin, which is critical to the normal sleep-wake cycle. This will affect the further flow of melatonin throughout the night, resulting in poorer quality sleep overall.”

It's only a myth that alcohol can help you sleep. On the contrary, alcohol metabolizes rapidly in our systems which can cause frequent wakings and can negatively impair the quality of your sleep. Julie says that nicotine is also a stimulant so if you can't give up smoking completely, then at least don't smoke for about an hour before you go to bed.

A University of Washington study found that people who ran or walked for at least 40 minutes three times a week experienced longer periods of deep sleep. Also, do not worry about when you exercise. Several studies prove that exercise at any time of day will eventually help you sleep better. You can’t veg out on the couch all evening and then expect to sleep soundly at night, can you?

Now, while your genetics dictate how much sleep time you need like we said, an individual needs 7 to 9 hours to function efficiently. Hence, it’s important to find out your optimal duration. Also, see if you are able to wake up naturally feeling fresh. That will mean you’re doing it right.

Stress-relieving magnesium is known to summon sleep, and “unless you’re eating a bushel of kale every day, you’re probably not getting enough in your diet,” said Breus, an expert on the matter, who recommends taking the mineral in a 250 - to 300 -milligram dose 90 minutes before bed. Sometimes, popping the RIGHT pills help.

Lavender has proved to be a natural sedative in clinical studies. So, if you find it difficult to fall asleep, spray a lavender spray on your pillow before you hit it yourself. This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray works like magic.

While regular naps are not the solution for sleep deprivation, sometimes 30-minute naps do help. However, moderating your naps is important. Don’t nap too many times in a day as that could result in you staying up all night. And that’s exactly what we’re trying to avoid here! Let us know if these tips helped!