D = DARKNESS

Late in the evening, your body releases the chemical melatonin, which makes you sleepy—but only if it receives the right cues from your environment. Melatonin won't flow with the lights on, so spending time in a dimly lit room before going to sleep can put you in the right mindset for sleep. 

During the summer when the evenings are lighter, blackout blinds or blackout curtains block outside light preparing you correctly for sleep. Similarly, they avoid waking you when the sun rises earlier

These are especially helpful for daytime sleepers. Even if the rising sun doesn’t completely wake you up, its light sends wakeful messages to the brain, affecting sleep quality.

Eye Mask. If you’re not ready to install blackout blinds, or you go to sleep before your partner, try an eye mask.  Blocking out all light with an eye mask is one of the most cost effective ways to induce melatonin production.

Take a look through our A - Z to the perfect night's sleep to find realistic solutions that suit your needs best.

Take a look at our full A-Z list