2. Technology is our friend, but not at bedtime: Whether it’s television, using a computer, reading from an electronic device or even texting on your smartphone, the artificial light generated by the screen homes in on your brain and stimulates it, making it that much harder to fall asleep immediately. If you must read before bed, it’s suggested you do it the old-fashioned way, by using a printed book.

3. Food, glorious food: Eating before bed is not recommended if you want a solid night’s sleep. A big meal before hitting the hay or even a late-night snack high in salt, fat or grease can mess with your brain and create a sleeping problem. Not to mention, eating a lot of calories before lying around for a long time is a sure-fire weight gainer. 

4. Bathing is not cool – You may think you’re doing the right thing by relaxing with a good, warm soak in your bathtub. But night time is when the body temperature needs to cool down, and by warming it back up, you increase the time necessary to get back to a level where your natural sleep harmonics are back in line. If you need to clean off before bed, leave at least an hour in between cleansing and crawling into the sack.

5.  The best part of waking up – You know the coffee commercial that indicates the best part of waking up is coffee in your cup? That’s because the 80 to 120 milligrams of caffeine in a cup of coffee are boosting the body’s wake-up signals. Even decaf coffee can be an issue. Studies have found certain brands can contain up to 20 milligrams of caffeine. By the way, many soft drinks, teas and chocolate contain caffeine, so if you’re quaffing or ingesting them after 6 p.m., you’re playing with fire when it comes to sleep.