How many nights have you spent tossing and turning or worse, staring at the ceiling while listening to your significant other sleep soundly? Follow these 12 tips, if you’re sick of seeing tired eyes—complete with their own luggage system—peering back at you in the mirror each morning.

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12 Ways To Sleep Better

Turn Off Electronics

Your cell phone, the TV and other electronics emit a blue light that actually interferes with your ability to sleep at night. An hour before bed, turn all your electronic devices off and read a book or listen to music.

Sleep Schedule

If you’re going to bed and waking up at all different hours every night, you may find it difficult to get a good rest. Instead, reinforce your body’s sleep-wake cycle, by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day. Limit the difference on weekends to no more than an hour.

Watch What You Eat

Don’t eat too much or too little before bed. Overeating within two hours of your bedtime can lead to discomfort that keeps you awake. Alternatively, it’s hard to sleep when your stomach is rumbling from hunger.

Avoid nicotine and caffeine as these are both stimulants that can affect your ability to drift off to dreamland.

Create A Restful Environment

Your bedroom should be a cozy setting that welcomes you in and puts you in the mood for sleep. Use shades or heavy drapes to darken the room and ensure it is cool. The ideal room temperature for most people is 20-23°C or 68-72°F. Set the a/c to this temperature or better yet, save on utilities by opening the window and turning on a fan, if necessary.

Your room should ideally be quiet. If you live in a noisy neighbourhood or your significant other snores, try earplugs to quiet the sounds.

The scent of lavender aids relaxation. Consider using lavender essential oil in a diffuser or create your own lavender linen spray.

No-Work Zone

Do not sit in your bed and work, watch TV or surf the internet. Only bedroom activities should take place there, one of which is sleeping. I’m sure you can figure out the other one. (Hint: It also starts with “s”.)

Block The Clock

If looking at the time creates a panic in you, like it does me, turn your clock around so you can’t see it. There’s something about not being able to sleep and then looking at the time that makes my mind race. I start counting down how many hours I have left to sleep and that makes falling asleep more difficult. (Am I the only one that does this?)

Worry Less

If your mind is racing at night worrying about problems or thinking about your giant to-do list, write it all down. Keep a journal nearby and write your thoughts in it. Plan out the next day before you go to bed. Make this part of your night routine. When your thoughts are down on paper instead of swirling around your head, it just might make falling asleep easier.

Avoid Naps

Taking naps during the day, especially close to bedtime, can make resting at night difficult. This interferes with your sleep schedule and throws off your sleep-wake cycle. Strive to rest at night when you are supposed to and not before.

Get Physical

Regular physical activity promotes sleep. So go for a walk or to the gym but not too close to bedtime. Being active close to when you want to go to bed, thinking it will make you tired, can backfire.

Get Rid Of Pain

Pain makes it hard to sleep, so try your best to find solutions to relieve your discomfort. For example:

Place a pillow between your legs as you lie down to help with a sore back.
If you constantly wake up tired and with a sore neck, change your pillow. It should not be too fluffy or flat.
Any chronic pain issues should be addressed by a doctor.

Limit Fluid Intake

Having too much to drink before you go to bed may result in midnight trips to the bathroom. Limit fluids two hours before bedtime and keep a nightlight in the bathroom so you don’t need to turn on bright lights.

Go To The Doctor

Too many sleepless nights may signal a bigger issue. If you have tried everything you can think of to sleep better and are still having difficulty, go see your doctor.

Resting is important to maintain a healthy body. Follow these twelve tips to improve your sleep and get rid of those bags under your eyes.