Being the best version of you can’t happen if you’re not getting enough sleep.

No matter who you are, if you’re not getting the sleep your body requires your mental and physical health will suffer.

To become your best, you need a solid foundation of quality sleep to build upon.

Here are five tips our university-qualified personal trainers recommend for improving sleep quality:

Stick to a consistent sleep-wake cycle.

If possible, establish routines and commit to them—this means going to bed and waking up at the same times in order to help regulate your body’s internal clock.

Of course, if you’re a parent with an infant, toddler, or young child keeping you up during the night, getting consistent let alone enough hours of sleep may not always be achievable. In this case, control what you can to maximise the quality of sleep you are able to get.

Limit heavy meal consumption, alcohol intake, and intense exercise in late evenings.

All of these can detrimentally impact your ability to fall asleep, as well as the quality of the sleep you will get when you do eventually drift off. Avoid or reduce these activities.

Do not consume caffeine in afternoons or evenings.

Caffeine has a half-life of five to six hours depending on the individual and their tolerance. As a rule of thumb, avoid caffeine eight hours before bed so your mind and body can settle.

Reduce blue light exposure.

Screens, devices, and artificial lights give off blue light. Studies have shown that such light can reduce melatonin production—which in turn keeps us more awake when we should be getting more relaxed as we ready for sleep.

If limiting screentime in the hours before sleep isn’t an option, wearing blue light glasses (which block blue light) might be able to help you switch off in the lead up to bedtime.

Make your bedroom your sleep sanctuary.

Give yourself a fighting chance!

Ensure your bedroom is set up for maximum comfort overnight—cool, dark, and noise-free are often the way to go, but ideal specifications will differ from person to person. Perhaps you need white noise to nod off? Maybe you like things a little more toasty?

Whatever the case, get your room primed just the way you like it so you’re in the best position to enjoy a restful sleep.

A word of caution however: no matter how cute or cuddly they may be, avoid sleeping with pets. They often move and make noise overnight, reducing your quality of sleep.

Getting a good night’s sleep is just one part—albeit a very important part—of the journey to being your very best. Contact Naru Fitness today for a dedicated personal trainer or online coach based in Adelaide, South Australia who will guide you, challenge you, and champion you so you can become the best you there ever was.