Regardless of age, gender, or lifestyle, a good night’s sleep can help reduce stress levels, enhance learning, improve concentration, and lower blood pressure. No matter your situation, it’s vital that you get a good quality of sleep, but with roughly 60 million people in the country affected by a sleep disorder every year, getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done.

If you fall into this statistic and have found your quality of sleep is severely impacting your day to day life, here are 5 sleep-friendly tips that can help.

Keep Regular Sleep Hours

If your internal body clock is disrupted, getting into bed and dozing off can be challenging. For those who sleep and wake up at different times, this can have a negative influence on your quality of sleep, making it more important than ever to keep regular sleep hours. If you work a Monday to Friday, 9-5 job, the idea of sleeping in on the weekend may seem like heaven; however, doing so can make it more difficult to fall asleep once Sunday night arrives. Being consistent with your sleep hours and establishing a routine can be a huge help for aiding sleep.

Create a Calming Sleeping Environment

Your bedroom should be the one place on earth that exudes comfort and relaxation. If your safe space is full of clutter, stress levels can heighten, making it harder for you to fall asleep. There are several things you can do to create a calming environment, such as by getting rid of clutter and keeping your room dark, cool, and quiet. If you’re a side sleeper, investing in a new mattress that is designed for you can improve sleep quality. There are several good options to pick from, which can reduce snoring and alleviate symptoms commonly associated with obstructive sleep apnea.

Make Exercise a Priority

Factoring daily exercise into your routine can provide immense benefits, especially when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Regular physical activity can increase the time you spend in deep sleep, which is the most important restorative phase of sleep. Deep sleep helps improve immune function, manage stress and anxiety, as well as support cardiac health. Whether you’re a lover of fitness or the idea of the gym sends shivers down your spine, there are tons of low and high-intensity workouts that you can do from the comfort of your living room. Make sure that you set aside 30 minutes each day to dedicate towards fitness.

Practice Relaxation Techniques

If your mind is full of anxious thoughts and fears, getting enough sleep may feel close to impossible. After a long and busy day, climbing under the covers and feeling relaxed and content should be your top priority, so if you’re feeling anxious and tense, there are several relaxation techniques that you can try out. Deep breathing exercises like pursed-lip breathing and breath focus can slow down your heart rate and reduce stress levels. Many people with sleep disorders find comfort from meditation and guided imagery which have numerous sleep-friendly benefits.

Remove Distractions

If you’re the type of person who is prone to checking their work emails in bed, this can tamper with how much sleep you get per night. Distractions like a television or laptop can be harmful to your sleep and ruin your routine, so make sure that your devices are kept out of sight and out of mind when getting into bed.

Whether you work from home, in a busy office, or have daily errands to run, it’s vital that you wake up feeling rejuvenated and productive. All the tips above are simple measures that you can implement into your routine to aid sleep and improve your quality of life.