If you’re tired of feeling exhausted, fighting headaches, and experiencing distress due to poor sleep, here’s what you can do today to start enjoying more restful nights.

1. Diet: A healthy diet comprised of a variety of whole foods will go a long way toward helping you fall asleep at night. Foods rich in beneficial vitamins and minerals like bananas, cherries, salmon, kiwi, brazil nuts, and eggs will provide nutrients that stabilize your sleep cycle. Avoid foods with high sugar content and alcoholic beverages within one hour before you go to sleep because these substances can disrupt your REM cycle and make you feel tired when you wake up.

2. Routine: Instead of relying on one alarm to wake you up in the morning, use a two alarm system: one to tell you when to go to bed, and the other to help you wake up. A set bedtime will help your body adjust to a stable sleep cycle so you might not even need that AM alarm! For the first few days you will be in an adjustment period, so try to get out of bed right away in the morning to help your body get used to the new routine. To make going to bed more enjoyable, find the mattress that provides you with the most comfort. That way you’ll look forward to going to bed at night!

3. Relax: Rather than watching TV at night, try to spend time reading or taking a hot bath to help you prepare for sleep. Lavender scented pillow spray can help your mind calm down, as will caffeine free tea like chamomile. Your body also responds positively to a cooler room temperature at night, so a fan can keep you cool and will also help by providing white noise.

Establishing healthy habits that lead to better sleep requires time and commitment, but in the long run it will help you be more productive and happy during the day. The sooner you implement these habits, the sooner you’ll feel the benefits from a better night’s sleep!