This 10-Minute Exercise Could Be The Key To Falling (And Staying) Asleep

Get started by setting aside five minutes in the morning and five at night for this sleep-expert-approved journaling exercise.

Upon waking, jot down what time you got into bed the night before and estimate how long it took you to fall sleep. Whenever possible, Dr. Ellen Vora, a psychiatrist and sleep expert, recommends climbing into bed earlier to avoid late-night rushes of energy. "I find a lot of my patients suffer from 'overtired'—that is, they go to bed too late, and their body has gone into a second wind of energy," she says. "When they climb into bed early, like around 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., they find it much easier to fall asleep and stay asleep."

Midnight restlessness could also be a sign of a poor sleep environment, so use it as an opportunity to take a good look around your bedroom. Is it too noisy? Is a stiff bed leaving you with aches and pains? Write it down, and experiment with new items: invest in a high-quality mattress (like those from Casper) or purchase an essential-oil diffuser to lull you to sleep with the smell of lavender.

Oftentimes, there are discrepancies between how much sleep we think we get and how much we actually get. Recording sleeping and waking times every day will clear up the confusion and give you a better idea of how many hours you're really clocking.

Track what (and when) you drink, and how it affects you come nighttime. Try experimenting with drinking—gasp—less coffee for a few days, and make note of how this alters your sleep.

Just like your sleep quality can influence your diet, your food choices can affect your sleep in a huge way. Most experts agree that you should eat your last meal two to three hours before bed, and limit your intake of sugar, carbs, and spicy foods close to bedtime. If you're a snacker, reach for lighter noshes that contain calming tryptophan, such as chickpeas, almonds, and walnuts.

Be sure to note if you're scrolling through Instagram or catching up on Gilmore Girls right before bed. LED lights interrupt our circadian rhythms, so try to keep the phone, computer, and TV time to a minimum. Another great option if you can’t give up the screen time completely is to use blue-light-blocking technology. Most iPhones now come with a "night mode," you can download color-warming software for computers, and they even make blue-light-blocking glasses for the true fanatics.

A sense of gratitude can profoundly influence your mental and physical health, so be sure to end every sleep diary entry with an acknowledgment of the beautiful moments that left a smile on your face that day—even the seemingly silly or small ones. According to Dr. Eva Selhub, a physician and lecturer at Harvard Medical School, "One is more likely to get better sleep when they are in a state of appreciation and positivity versus worry." Even expressing gratitude for the comfortable and supportive mattress beneath you and the soft, clean sheets touching your skin will help you stay present and appreciative.

As each week comes to a close, review the last seven days of your journal, looking for any noticeable trends. Maybe you don't get as many hours of sleep on the nights when you go to the gym, or maybe you toss and turn less if you eat dinner earlier. Once you nail down these connections, test your theories the next week by making small shifts in your routine that you suspect will promote deep, restful sleep. By the time a month goes by, you'll be more aware—and likely more rested, too.