1. Stick to a bedtime routine
The key to maintaining good sleep hygiene is to adhere to a schedule and stick to that schedule on the weekdays and on the weekends as well.

And make sure to save some time to relax and wind down before you turn in for the night.  Try reading or journaling for a half hour before you go to sleep.

2. Restrict your time in bed

If you have a nap or an extended period of sleep in the morning, it’s harder to get to sleep at night as your sleep drive has had less time to build up. Also, if you find that you’re not falling asleep right away, get up out of bed and do a quiet activity until you feel ready to turn in.

3. Exercise outside

Setting the body’s circadian rhythm, the 24-hour clock that tells us when to sleep and wake up, is an important part of establishing good sleep hygiene.  Try incorporating an outdoor activity, such as a brisk walk to work, into your daily routine and stick to it, even in the winter.

4. Ask your partner for help
Women traditionally wake to care for kids during the night, so their sleep may be more disturbed than their male partners. Though researchers have found that our bodies tend to bounce back more easily from sleeplessness in childbearing years, this disrupted sleep can become a major problem for women with a history of depression.

5. Talk to your doctor

If your sleeplessness is starting to affect how you function during the day, it’s time to seek professional help. There could be an underlying problem, such as depression or anxiety, that’s keeping you from getting your beauty rest.