Getting quality sleep makes you look and feel younger. The reason for this is simple: The better you sleep, the better your body functions. This means your skin looks better, your eyes are brighter – even your expression shows your improved energy and mood. All of these things add up to a naturally youthful, beautiful look. Here are a few ways to make sure you’re getting the beauty-rest you deserve.

Improve Sleep Hygiene

 If you tend to go to bed at a different time every night or fall asleep while watching the evening news, your sleep hygiene could use improvement. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This will train your body to fall into a rhythm, allowing you to fall asleep more easily and reach more restful, productive sleep stages. Don’t watch TV or do work in bed, and make sure your curtains keep the room as dark as possible at night.

 Update Your Sleep Space

 If it’s been a while since you bought a new mattress, the odds are good it’s time to upgrade your sleep surface. Mattresses get uncomfortable over time, although this process usually happens so gradually you may not even notice it. Moreover, SFGate notes that if your body type has changed, your current mattress might not be the right choice for your needs anymore, even if it hasn’t reached the end of its lifespan.

 Take your preferred sleep position, body type, and any chronic pain or discomfort you experience into consideration when choosing a new mattress. For example, Purple mattresses were found to work well for back, side and stomach sleepers and register around a medium on the firmness scale. Read through online reviews and be sure to consider your body and sleep habits to help ensure you make the best choice for you.

Relax During the Day

Brains run on patterns, and this is true all day long. If you’re constantly stressed while you’re awake, you can have trouble falling asleep. Your mind might run through the exact same stressful thoughts it ran through during the daytime. Even if you do fall asleep, you’re more likely to have anxious dreams, which can mean you don’t fall into the deeper sleep cycles.

 Find ways to reduce stress during the day so you can enjoy more peaceful, restful sleep at night. For example, a regular massage can provide time to relax, effectively helping you reach restfulness at night. Performing deep breathing exercises can help you relax and fall asleep as well. Think about simple additions to your lifestyle that cut out stress, so you can enjoy better slumber.

Tire Yourself Out

Regular exercise can make a world of difference for your sleep quality. If you haven’t burned up enough energy during the day, you can wind up feeling restless and over-energized at night. By building thirty minutes of moderate exercise into your day, you’ll give your body the exercise it needs to feel tired at night. Just avoid exercising too close to bedtime. It takes a while for your body to release endorphins from exercising, and it can be hard to fall asleep while you’re still in the zone.

Avoid Sleep Destroyers

 Finally, make sure to avoid behaviors that are likely to make your sleep worse. Here are a few sleep destroyers to avoid:

•   Eating Before Bed – The digestion process can keep your body energized while you’re trying to snooze, and lying down after eating certain foods can cause heartburn. 
•   Afternoon Caffeine ­– Even if you think a cup of coffee in the afternoon isn’t impacting your sleep, it probably is. Caffeine has a half-life of five hours, meaning if you have a cup of coffee at 4 p.m., you’re still feeling it at 9 p.m. 
•   Blue Lights – Computers, phones, and televisions all produce blue light, which decreases our brains’ ability to produce melatonin. Cut out screen use a few hours before bedtime.

 Getting a good night’s sleep improves your health, happiness, and appearance. It may take some work to get your sleep schedule on track, particularly if you’ve developed several bad habits. However, putting in the effort will be well worth it when you’re fully rested and ready to take on the world.