The quality and amount of sleep you get affects the two-thirds of your life you spend awake, from your health to your mood to your ability to communicate effectively.

The core of a healthy, long life is good sleep. Surprisingly, what we hear about health usually revolves around exercise and nutrition; the truth about sleep—one of the most important factors to attaining vitality—is often left out of the mix. Losing sleep is certainly not something to be taken lightly. An occasional night of tossing and turning is normal, but continued patterns of this behavior can cause real problems in your ability to function normally.

New research indicates even more serious consequences to skipping sleep. Studies by Binghamton University, State University of New York, concluded that sleeping less than eight hours a night is associated with intrusive, repetitive thoughts like those seen in people suffering from depression or anxiety.

The need for sleep is obvious, however, not everyone knows how to get the best night’s sleep. The National Sleep Foundation suggests establishing good sleep habits, including:

Suggestions for a Serene Slumber

Experts¹ recommend soaking in hot tub for 20-30 minutes two hours before bedtime to enjoy a deeper sleep. Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as soaking in hot water, helps you maintain a healthy sleep cycle and aids with issues like insomnia and racing thoughts. The warm water is not only relaxing and calming; as your body temperature drops when you get out, this tells your body (and your mind) that it’s time to get some rest.

You should also create a sleeping environment that is conducive to optimal rest. For most people, that means keeping your bedroom at a cool temperature, ideally between 60 and 67 degrees according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Getting your body and mind in the habit of using your bedroom for sleeping can be difficult, especially if you frequently sit in bed to pay your bills, do your homework, watch television, eat, talk on the phone, etc., your mind will expect that the bedroom is for daytime activities. Instead, create an environment that is suitable for sleeping. Equip your room with soft lighting, comfortable bedding, and relaxing music. Other tricks include turning the temperature down a few notches, and turning the clock away from your view. Recent studies reveal that watching your sleep time vanish into the morning hours only makes you more anxious and less able to fall asleep.

Noise can interrupt even the best of dreams, so make sure your bedroom is quiet and free of audible distractions. If needed, use a white noise machine or humidifier to block out disturbing noise.

Getting your body and mind in the habit of using your bedroom for sleeping can be difficult, especially if you frequently sit in bed to pay your bills, do your homework, watch television, eat, talk on the phone, etc., your mind will expect that the bedroom is for daytime activities. Instead, create an environment that is suitable for sleeping. Equip your room with soft lighting, comfortable bedding, and relaxing music. Other tricks include turning the temperature down a few notches, and turning the clock away from your view. Recent studies reveal that watching your sleep time vanish into the morning hours only makes you more anxious and less able to fall asleep.

Noise can interrupt even the best of dreams, so make sure your bedroom is quiet and free of audible distractions. If needed, use a white noise machine or humidifier to block out disturbing noise.

Darkness is conducive to a good night’s sleep, so turn off the lights and the television. In fact, a National Sleep Foundation study suggests there could be serious health consequences to sleeping with unnatural light. To prepare for sleep, lower the house lights an hour or so before bedtime. If shift work requires you to sleep during daylight hours, consider using eye shades or blackout curtains for optimal rest.

Finally, get yourself into a routine. This is especially hard for people with wavering, active schedules, like students and parents. On busy days, it is difficult—but crucial—to be firm with a routine. If you normally don’t fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning, or if you don’t have a sleep schedule at all, try going to bed a half an hour earlier each week, or set a time to get in bed and stick with it. Eventually your body will get used to going to sleep at that time and it will begin to come naturally.

Your wind-down routine is just as important as the room you sleep in. Get your body ready for rest by doing a calming activity during the last hour of your day. These can include reading, praying or meditating, writing in your journal, taking deep breaths, or tucking your children into bed. Make the last hour of the day a screen-free hour, to unplug your brain before sleeping.

You should also consider taking control of your worries if you want to rest easier. Let’s face it—most of us lead very stressful lives. Stress, surprises, and changes can take a toll on your sleep habits. Schedule some downtime each day for meditative activities like stretching or a hot bath. Try to decrease your brain activity before bed by writing down your thoughts in a journal and closing the book on the day. If thinking keeps you up at night, get out of bed and try to be productive. Deal with those thoughts (pay the bill that you are worried about forgetting, make a to-do list, etc.) in a positive way, and come back to bed when you’re ready to sleep.

The best way to maximize your waking hours is to get the most out of your down time. So take time at the end of the day to relax and ease yourself into a good night’s rest. Then you can start the morning wide awake, fully alert, stress-free and ready to conquer the day.

If you toss and turn most nights, it may be time to see a physician. You could be suffering from one or more sleep disorders, including insomnia and sleep apnea. The sooner you find out what’s wrong, the sooner you can fix it. Sleep disorders are dangerous to your health, so if you suspect something is wrong, tend to it immediately.

Discover more health benefits and learn what you need to know about purchasing a hot tub with our buying guide.

¹ http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20462696_2,00.html 7 Bedtime Behaviors That will help you Sleep

² http://www.bettersleep.ca/