Below are some valuable resources on the importance of sleep and how to improve your sleep:
The first comes from Precision Nutrition, which is all about why sleep is so important and how to “hack” sleep to get into the best bedtime routine that you can (https://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep, or an infographic if that suits you better https://www.precisionnutrition.com/power-of-sleep-infographic). For a much more detailed article on the importance of sleep, check out this article (https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-sleep).
At this point you might be thinking “Cool, I do all the things I’m supposed to, but I still toss and turn once I lay down. I can’t get my brain to stop working!” One of the techniques that many people have found relief in is meditation. This doesn’t have to be a long drawn out process of clearing your mind and becoming connected to your body and soul. It can be as simple as slowing your heart rate down and focusing on your breathing. Some smart watches out there have a breathing feature on them, which can help with this. If you need someone walking you through this process or something more specific to focus on, the app https://insighttimer.com/ can be useful. They have just about any length meditation you could want. Play around with what features and types you like best. You never know what might fit you!
