Poor sleep can destroy your efforts in the kitchen and in the gym. Don’t let it happen!

There’s no doubt that nutrition and exercise are important, but sleep is imperative! Here are three tips to improve your sleep:

1. During the day, get as much natural light as possible: open all the blinds as soon as you wake up, get outdoors as much as you can, limit sunglass use only when absolutely necessary, and if you work indoors, use full-spectrum lighting.

At night, limit light exposure onto your skin and into your eyes: wear orange-tinted glasses (also known as blue blockers), shut off electronic devices after 9 p.m. (read an old-fashioned book or take a salt bath instead), and sleep in a room that resembles a cave!

2. Set your alarm clock for 10 p.m. No matter what you’re doing at that time, stop doing it, and go to bed (whatever you’re doing can wait till the next day). Then, set your alarm clock for 6 a.m. and make sure you get up and out of bed when it goes off.

A good idea is to keep your alarm on your dresser or in your bathroom so that you’re forced to get up. Eventually, your internal clock will tell you to go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 6 a.m. without the aid of an alarm clock.

3. If you have problems sleeping at night, not only should you avoid exercising too close to bedtime (yoga may be an exception), but ditch all the violent, action-packed movies, television shows, and video games. Put a pair of blue blockers on and read a book instead. In fact, pick up one of my books – it will put you to sleep in no time!