Create a sleep routine for a more blissful night’s slumber.

Following a regular sleep routine calms and restores the body, improving concentration, regulating mood, and sharpening decision-making skills. In other words, you’re a better problem solver, and are therefore better able to cope with stress, when you’re well-rested.

Despite what some workaholic friends might try to tell you, sleep is a necessary human function that allows our brains and bodies to operate optimally. When we don’t sleep well enough or long enough, our bodies don’t work as well as they could—no matter how much coffee you drink the next day!

To aid in your sleep routine, follow these tips:

• Use your bed only for the 3 S’s: sleep, sex, and sickness
• Remove clutter and keep anything that might trigger stress (like a work desk, pile of laundry, etc.) out of sight
• Keep electronics that emit blue light (televisions and phones) out of the bedroom, as blue light sends signals to your brain to stay alert
• Keep your room at a cool temperature—the body naturally cools down as it winds down, so turning on a fan can help with that process
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day (as best you can), no matter the day of the week
• Make your bedroom a calming oasis by installing soft lighting, calming colors, and curtains to block out outdoor light, if necessary

If you find yourself stressed out, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, staying in bed could actually be counterproductive. If you can’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of going to bed, try getting up and relocating to another space to read, meditate, or listen to music. Avoid your phone or TV unless you have a trusty pair of blue light glasses.

If you’re consistently having trouble sleeping or getting to sleep for more than three months, you could be suffering from insomnia, a sleep disorder that affects between 10-30% of adults. Insomnia stems from stress, so if your lack of sleep is starting to interrupt your daily life, it’s all the more important to partake in stress management.