You know how you feel when you don’t get enough sleep. Maybe you’re cranky with co-workers. You don’t feel “with it.” You lack the energy to get through a typical day.
A sleep deficit can lead to serious health problems like depression, diabetes, weight gain, and high blood pressure. Indeed, a study at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience published earlier this year found that insomnia may shrink decision-making parts of the brain. If you want a better night’s sleep — and perhaps a better performing brain — read on.


1. Know how much you need

The National Sleep Foundation, which does comprehensive sleep research, says adults typically need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. How much do you personally need? The time it takes to wake up feeling refreshed without an alarm clock is the amount of sleep you need a night, says WebMD.com. If you need an alarm to awaken, set it 15 minutes earlier a night until you wake up on your own feeling rested and ready for you day.
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2. Exercise – but not too late

Regular exercise helps with so many areas of our overall well-being, including sleep. But strenuous exercise within three hours of bedtime can disrupt sleep, says the National Sleep Foundation. Exercise raises body temperature and produces an alerting effect, followed five to six hours later by a decrease in temperature, which makes sleep easier. The best time for a workout is morning or afternoon.
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3. No TV in Bed

The sleeping environment should be reserved for sleep and sex, sleep experts say. Watching TV or working on your computer in the bedroom will only stimulate you, making it harder to fall asleep. Other sleep disruptors include having too much light in the bedroom, and the stimulants nicotine and caffeine, as well as alcohol. While alcohol is a depressant that calms you and makes you feel sleepy, it also increases the number of times you awaken during the night, according to experts.
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4. Snack smart

Compounds found in certain foods help us sleep better. The amino acid tryptophan is found in turkey, milk, and others foods. The body uses it to make serotonin, a calming, feel-good neurotransmitter, and melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. Milk also contains calcium, a mineral that helps convert tryptophan to melatonin. Other foods that help induce sleep include bananas, peanut butter, and oatmeal. Remember to go easy on any added sugar, which could keep you awake, and eat small servings to ease digestion.
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5. Try a natural remedy

Certain herbal supplements are thought to induce sleep. Chamomile, a common flowering plant, contains apigenin, a flavonoid that has the same effect on the brain as prescription sedatives do, but without the side effects, experts say. Sip chamomile tea before bed. The scent of lavender flower also can help. Studies show it lengthens sleep duration and deep sleep, while allowing people to feel refreshed upon awaking. Sprinkle a drop or two of lavender oil under your pillow, or several drops to a warm bath.