Do you ever spend all night tossing and turning, trying to force your mind to quiet down enough to sleep? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans struggle to fall asleep each night, either because of an occasional restless evening or due to a more serious bout of insomnia.

Whatever your case may be, getting quality sleep every night is essential to your health and wellbeing. It’s during your sleeping hours that your body repairs itself, consolidates the day’s memories, and strengthens your immune system. Without decent rest, you may find it harder to concentrate and have a higher risk of depression, diabetes, and heart problems. Take a look at our tips for improving the quality of your sleep below.

Step 1. Eliminate Distractions

In the fast-paced world that we live in today, there are countless distractions that contribute to keeping you awake after you should be in bed. From binge-watching Netflix and scrolling through social media to checking your work email on your phone or laptop, skimping out on rest can happen without you even noticing.

You may find it easier to fall asleep if you make an effort to leave your screens out of your bedroom. Setting aside your phone, tablet, and laptop at least an hour before you want to sleep and pick up a book instead. There are numerous apps you can download on your laptop and smartphone to help you reduce your screen time. If you must stare at a screen until late, make sure you set it in ‘night mode’, which shifts the tone away from the harsh blues that keep your brain active. You can also invest in blackout shades and blackout stickers to place over bright lights to keep your bedroom dark and peaceful.

Step 2. Try Natural Remedies

You can find many over-the-counter drugs at your local grocery store that claim they’ll help you sleep deeper at night. However, many of these supplements are riddled with side effects and harmful chemicals that aren’t so great for your body.

Instead, try natural remedies that aren’t made in a lab. Some natural remedies include:

• CBD: The benefit of CBD is that it doesn’t contain any psychoactive ingredients like THC that can result in the “high” that’s associated with marijuana. Instead, CBD has been found to reduce stress and anxiety, which can help calm your nerves at night. Taking CBD gummies for sleep before bed can help you drift away faster and deeper.
• Herbal teas: Herbal teas like chamomile, valerian root, and lavender are all presented as possible sleep aids. This is because these herbal teas can modify specific neurotransmitters in your brain to help initiate sleep. Before it’s time for bed, grab your favorite mug, then curl up with a book as you sip your hot tea—just make sure it’s non-caffeinated!
• Food: Foods like almonds, kiwis, cherry juice, walnuts, and white rice have all been proven to help people rest better at night. These foods contain certain nutrients and have higher glycemic indexes to help assist in falling asleep.
• Melatonin: This is the hormone your body produces at night to help you fall asleep. If you’re really struggling with insomnia, you can find all-natural melatonin at health food and drug stores. Try not to take it every evening as your body may adapt to the excess hormones and you might find it harder to sleep without it

Step 3. Redesign Your Room

Your bedroom furniture plays a significant role in how well you sleep at night. If you’re sleeping on a hard or lumpy mattress or under hot, scratchy sheets, it can make it a lot more difficult to relax. Take a look at some changes you can make to your bedroom to help you get that perfect snooze.

• Memory foam or hybrid mattress: Memory foam and hybrid mattresses like Casper or Purple brands are excellent mattresses to invest in to help you sleep at night. Whereas innerspring mattresses use hard and squeaky springs to support you, memory foam and hybrid mattresses match the contours of your body to relieve pressure off of your muscles and joints.
• Cooling sheets: If you tend to be hot overnight, consider switching out your old cotton sheets for new bamboo sheets. Moisture easily evaporates off of bamboo sheets, helping to prevent night sweats from keeping you awake.
• White noise machine: Most people find it easier to fall asleep if light background noise is playing. While some have moved to drift off while listening to podcasts, classic white noise machines are proven to help your brain shut down for the night. With so much commotion going on in the world outside, it can be easy to focus on daily stressors and other daily events. With these three tips, you’ll be able to get a great night’s sleep every night.