1.    Avoid ALL caffeine in the evening.

While avoiding caffeine at night would seem like an obvious way to improve sleep quality, there is one thing you may not know. Simply avoiding caffeine a few hours before bed isn’t enough to give caffeine time to exit your system.

That’s because caffeine can stay in the system for much longer than many people think. According to the National Sleep Foundation, it can take as long as six hours for just half of the caffeine one consumes to be eliminated. This means that if you indulge in a hot cup of caffeinated coffee at 4:00, it may still be in your system when you try to go to bed.

So cut out caffeine early in the afternoon. And if you want to see how it affects sleep quality, keep track of when you consume caffeine and how it affects your ability to fall asleep. You might be surprised as to what you find.

P.S. If you really need a treat before bed, consider decaffeinated tea. Chamomile tea is a great option with proven sleep benefits.

2.    Skip the Facebook surfing before bed.

It’s no secret that checking social media accounts is a great way to kill time at night. However, this simple act just may affect your ability to fall asleep.

You see, the body has a natural sleep/wake cycle that is affected by light. And surfing the 'net just before bed may disrupt this cycle. Experts at the National Sleep Foundation say that light promotes wakefulness. This is because photoreceptors that are located in the retina send signals to the brain about what’s going on based on light and dark. This causes the body to want to be awake in the morning and sleepy at night.

Here’s the thing: The body can get confused. Research shows that even small electronic devices -- like smartphones -- can confuse the brain. This can keep us up at night.

To avoid this simple mishap, steer clear of phones and laptops before bed. If you’re bored, try reading. This is a well-known way to distract the brain when you’re trying to wind down. You can even try yoga or meditation. Both of these activities will get you out of the bedroom while promoting the relaxation needed to fall asleep.