Sleep Hygiene Practices

Avoid bright screens or stimulating content at least an hour before bed time. I like to watch a Seinfeld rerun to signal that it's time for bed.

I've found this to be especially helpful during the winter months when we are more dependent on man-made sources of light in the evenings. I have my computer and my cell phone settings on eye comfort shield throughout the day.

This has really made a huge difference in the quality of my sleep. I warm up the bed an hour or two beforehand so it's cozy warm when I get into bed. Then set it to cool for the duration of the night. Dial in your temperature settings for your sleep.

See the stats. A glass of wine can affect your sleep dramatically. It will show up in the numbers.

Blackout curtains are a must. No light from devices or clocks. Put electric tape over any LED lights that you can't shut off.

I put my phone in airplane mode. I have it in "Do Not Disturb" mode as the default setting during the day.

I try to make sure my last intake is at least two hours prior to bedtime.

If you don't have control over environmental noise, use ear plugs.

I find if I drink anything with caffeine past 2PM, my sleep will suffer. Also too much coffee in the morning will have an effect. I stick to 1 cup, maximum 2 cups in the early morning and that's it.

So many options exist for pillows and mattress technology these days. With satisfaction guarantees, there is little harm in trying out a few options. I've been a fan of Casper mattresses and My Pillow.