As we get older, we might start noticing that we wake up earlier or throughout the night and fall asleep during the day. Experts recommend adults get seven to nine hours of sleep every night, however, not everybody needs to sleep that much. If you sleep less than seven hours a night but still feel rested and energetic, everything is alright. However, if you sleep less than seven hours a night and feel rundown, you should do something to get better rest.

The first thing you should do is sticking to a regular bedtime. That means going to bed and waking up at the same time each day so that your body can get used to the routine. You should also make the bedroom a sleep zone: your bedroom has to be a place for sleeping only. If you go to bed but are still awake after 20 minutes, get up and go back to bed only when you feel tired enough. Avoid afternoon naps too, as sleeping during the day can prevent you from sleeping at night.

Getting ready for bed is also very important. For example, you can take a warm bath before going to bed. It can help you feel relax and the drop in your body temperature when you get out of the tub may help you feel tired. Another thing you should do is taking time to calm down before turning out the lights. Forget about your telephone and don’t watch TV an hour before bed and read a book or listen to relaxing music instead.

Try to find out what works for you. Sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels and sleep deficiency is linked to an increase risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Get better sleep, live a better life.