SleepStress reliefMental health

How to sleep better in 9 steps

Follow these steps to get a good night's rest.


LearnSleepInsomniaHow to sleep better in 9 steps
Set the scene for sleep
Remove distractions
Avoid late-night lifts
Spend less time in bed
Stick to a schedule
Get a comfy mattress
Can't sleep? Get up!
Could you have a sleep disorder?
Work with your schedule

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Are you a chronic sleep skimper? Short sleep can throw off your two appetite-regulating hormones (ghrelin and leptin) in ways that make you eat more, gain more, and get more blood-sugar problems, boosting heart attacks and strokes. Missing sleep also increases body-wide inflammation, which gunks up your arteries and fuels cancer. Could it get worse? Yep. Ignoring your body's clock messes with the sleepy-time hormone melatonin, which doubles as a cancer deterrent. So give your body the gift of better sleep—and a RealAge that’s up to 3.4 years younger—with this deep-sleep plan.

Written by Michael Gollust.
Medically reviewed by Megan Burke, MD.April, 2026
Updated onSeptember, 2026
Written by Michael Gollust.
Medically reviewed by Megan Burke, MD.April, 2026
Updated onSeptember, 2026
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