It's not so black and white. In fact,   understanding your chronotype   is a great place to start because every individual is different and your DNA can directly influence when you feel most energetic during the day.  What's your chronotype?  Take the quiz to find out. 

It is also extremely important to take a close   and honest  look at your daily habits to pinpoint what activities may prevent you from getting the best sleep possible.

1. Keep a consistent schedule. The human body was designed to function in correlation with the rise and fall of the sun. In other words, we wake up and start our day as the sun rises; we work and exercise during the day; and we typically wind down to go once it gets dark outside. The National Sleep Foundation's sleep guidelines outline the recommended amount or sleep for various age groups. As a rule of thumb, an average of eight hours or sleep per night is recommended for people ages 14 and up.
   
   

With that being said, it's still important to take chronotype into consideration when you're thinking about how much sleep you need each night. And consistency is key!

In order to maintain a regular sleep / wake schedule:

• Aim to go to bed at the same time every night and get at least eight hours of sleep
• Avoid sleeping in, including on weekends, because changing your sleep / wake schedule could abruptly result in jet-lag-like symptoms (eg daytime fatigue, moodiness, lack of focus, and / or an upset stomach)
• Limit daytime naps to 15-20 minutes if you absolutely need them; otherwise, try to avoid napping as much as possible
• Also, avoid going to bed too early - even if you're experiencing drowsiness after a big meal - because then you can wake up during the middle of the night and have a tough time getting back to sleep.

Note: If you are getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without needing an alarm. If you find that you need assistance from an alarm (app or clock), then consider going to bed earlier in the evenings so you can get the core eight hours that your body needs.

2. Adjust and update the lighting throughout your home.

Let's go back to the sun for a moment and why light itself is such an important concept for health. The sun provides a full spectrum of light that contributes to the biological functions of humans, plants and animals. The sun literally affects all of us down to the molecular level; sunlight acts as a nutrient that helps orchestrate your mitochondria to carry out specific functions at precise times throughout the day.

Over time, humans have evolved to live and work outside of the natural hours of daylight thanks to the development of artificial light sources. The LED and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) found in most of today's homes, offices and other public buildings lack some of the key wavelengths that the sun produces naturally, and that our brains and bodies need for optimal biological function.

Unlike incandescent and halogen lights, which emit light similar to that during a sunset, LEDs and fluorescents eliminate most of the infrared, red, and violet light found in natural sunlight, and conversely emit a lot of blue light.

FACT: Most LEDs and fluorescents emit about five times the amount of blue light that are bodies are naturally equipped to handle.

Economically speaking , LEDs are incredibly cost-effective; however, they are notorious for emitting blue wavelengths or light that throw off your energy, mood, and natural   circadian rhythm .

Overexposure to artificial lighting confuses the mind and body, making it very difficult to decipher what time or day it actually is. Subsequently, there's broken signaling that takes place between the artificial light sources all around you and your natural body functions. It's no wonder then that after a full day or using digital devices with LED screens and sitting under artificial lighting, you may experience a "wired and tired" feeling like you're getting into bed at night. It also makes sense that sleep deprivation then leads to fatigue the next day. This pattern between insomnia and fatigue becomes cyclical and can have profound effects on how you feel and show up in the world.

The key here is to take more control of the light in your environment by making healthier lighting choices. Consider swapping out any LED and / or fluorescent bulbs in your house to halogen or incandescents. More specifically, 15 or 20-watt bulbs are ideal because they are warmer light that is healthier for your eyes, mind, and body - especially as your winding down for bedtime in the evenings.  You can also opt to turn off the light fixtures around your home, or just use candles instead of keep an area lit with natural light . Dimmer is better because it is more closely mimics the natural light that you would be exposed to outside as the sun descends at night.

While light in the morning signals to your brain that it's time to be awake and alert, darkening your room at night conversely tells your brain, “Hey, it's getting dark out. It's time to wind down and get ready for bed so you can be well-rested for tomorrow. "

• Invest in blackout curtains and / or shades.  You can find them at basically any store that sells home furnishings and decor, and of course you can   find them on Amazon too . They will seriously change your life - especially if you have a lot of street lights right outside of your home.
• Unplug all digital devices so that the power source lights don't light up your room. Think: the pesky little lights in the corner of your television, computer monitor, and power strips. And remember that green light can disrupt sleep too . You can use duct tape or TrueDark Dots to completely cover these (blue or green) lights up while you're sleeping.    
• Use a smarter alarm clock.   Look for alarm clocks where the display is dimmable and / or has the ability to completely turn off. Try to avoid blue displays altogether at least 2 hours before you're winding down for bed.
• Get yourself some sleep-hacking glasses .  They are more commonly known as "blue blockers", but we are not just talking about any blue blockers that you can find for $ 9 on Amazon. We're talking about TrueDark sleep-hacking glasses that use red lenses and patented technology to block 100% of blue and green light - specifically at night time. These glasses essentially blackout your vision and signal to your brain that it's dark outside. They put your brain into an alpha (or meditative) state that helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.   
  
   

It's important to note that orange, amber (yellow) and clear lenses are not as effective as red lenses when it comes to helping you fall asleep at nighttime. Orange lenses are widely popular because that's what the very first "blue blockers" used; however,  orange-lensed blue blockers   fail to effectively block green wavelengths or junk light before bedtime.  Clear and amber-lensed blue light blocking glasses solely block out blue light as well, and they are designed for reducing eye-strain as opposed to helping you fall asleep. The most amount of blue junk light they can block is 40% and 75%, respectively.

Caffeine happens to be the world's   most popular drug , and it's found in all of your favorite beverages (such as coffee, soda, and energy drinks). This substance is classified as a stimulant because it promotes alertness and blocks the (adenosine) neurotransmitter in your brain in order to keep you from feeling sleepy. More specifically, caffeine:

• Blocks of adenosine. Adenosine is an important hormone that helps regular sleep. Over the course of the day (waking hours), adenosine will build up in the brain, which inhibits the neurons in the brain and results in the sensation of feeling tired. When you drink caffeine, you're essentially fooling the adenosine receptors in the brain, which causes you to feel more awake and focused. 
• Increases dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps send pleasure signals into the brain. This increases alertness, and may contribute to why caffeine is so habit-forming.  
• Suppresses melatonin production.  Melatonin is a hormone that also helps regular sleep / wake cycles. The pineal gland naturally produces melatonin that your body needs in order to sleep at night. Because caffeine stays in your system anywhere from 6-8 hours, you may not feel the effects right away, but it can certainly affect your body's ability to produce melatonin. 

Note: when you consume caffeine daily, it becomes less effective as a stimulant because your body will build up a tolerance to it over time.

Many sources suggest that 400 mg of caffeine is safe and healthy for most adults to consume daily. This is equivalent to about 4 cups of coffee (or 10 cans or soda, or two energy shots). Unfortunately, there is such a thing as consuming too much coffee and, or caffeine. Possible adverse effects include:

• Restlessness
• Fast heartbeat
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Upset stomach
• Irritability

Studies   show that caffeine can remain in your system for an average of five hours, but it depends on your personal sensitivity to caffeine. Put this into perspective as you are thinking about how to calm your body down enough to go to sleep at night on a regular schedule. The   American Academy of Sleep Medicine   recommends that if you are going to consume caffeine, then you should stop doing so at least six hours before bedtime. So if you go to bed at 9:00 pm, you should have your last round of caffeine no later than 3:00 pm