Get more sleep. Isn’t that a great topic? We all love sleep. Although I can tell you there was a time in my life when I didn’t sleep. Well, I may have slept three hours a night and I actually prided myself in that. I thought that made me so cool and a great, strong worker because I didn’t sleep. Little did I know, I was destroying my body, and you might be too. Here’s what I wish I knew then about sleep.

Tip # 1 Get more sleep before midnight

Falling asleep before midnight heals your body faster, stronger, and quicker. I always make sure I am asleep by 10 o’clock. That might mean I need to be in bed at 9:30. I know it sounds early to some of you, but it’s so important for your body.

Tip # 2 Sleep in a dark room

You may have heard what the blue lights from our cell phones are doing. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “scientists are finding that light from electronics has the potential to disrupt sleep because it sends alerting signals to the brain. The circadian rhythm seems to be especially sensitive to light with short wavelengths—in particular, blue light in the 460-nanometer range of the electromagnetic spectrum. This light, which is given off by electronics like computers and cell phones, and also by energy-efficient bulbs, has been shown to delay the release of melatonin. In other words, electronics could keep you feeling alert past the recommended bedtime.”

There’s actually now an adjustment on your phone where you can minimize the blue light that comes from your phone and you can set the cycle. So what do you think mine’s set for – 9:30 the light goes off, and the phone stays far away from my bed.

Tip # 3 Number of hours matter

You really should not sleep less than 6 hours per night. After being diagnosed with cancer, my doctor told me not let my feet hit the floor until I had been in bed 9 hours. Nine hours, are you kidding? I thought there was no way I could do it, but I did.  Staying in bed for 9 hours allowed my body to heal and get strong. I know that’s tough to do, but 6 is bare, minimum and 7-1/2 hours is much better.

Just to recap, my 3 tips to get more sleep: Go to sleep before midnight, turn off those crazy blue lights, make your room dark and don’t let your feet hit the floor before you’ve slept 6 to 7-1/2 hours. Sleep well!