From healing traumatic brain injuries to storing the memory of newly learned material, sleep is essential to a number of brain functions with healthy adults needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, as per National Sleep Foundation guidelines. This includes people over 65 years of age while babies, young children and teenagers require longer hours of sleep to enable their growth and development. 5 definite tips that will not only ensure quality sleep at night but also you more energetic and productive during your waking hours:

Right pillow – Choose a pillow that supports the natural curve of your neck and is not too fat or not too flat. This will help you wake up without being tired or with a stiff neck in the morning.

Sleeping position – To not twist your neck, avoid sleeping on your stomach. Instead, sleep on your side with your nose up with the center of your body.

Good mattress – A good mattress such as spring mattress, foam mattress, coir mattress, memory foam mattress, orthopedic mattress, etc is crucial in achieving a sound sleep because it not only improves sleep quality but also reduces back pain, shoulder pain, and back stiffness with the right support to the body that reinforces an uninterrupted sleep. On the other hand, you can also use air-tight, plastic, dust-proof covers to seal your mattress, box springs and pillows against molds, dust mite droppings, and other allergy triggers that can lead to lousy shut-eye.

Eat and drink fluids wisely – While it is advisable to finish eating dinner at least an hour before bed, it is also recommended to not overload your digestive system with heavy foods and big meals before sleeping. Instead, opt for a light evening snack as it will affect how well you sleep at night.

Lower the lights - Optimize your bedroom environment by dimming the light levels around your home 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. Diminishing the noise and lights and making the bedroom a quiet, relaxing, clean and enjoyable place signals the brain to make melatonin which is the hormone that brings on sleep and results in improved sleep quality that ensures long-term health benefits.