Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night for a sound reason: Sleep is the cornerstone of health and well-being. It’s as essential to survival as food and water.

Rewards of rest

While you’re sleeping, your body and brain don’t shut down. Rather, they go into repair mode. Shut-eye allows important processes to happen. A good night’s sleep:

• Gives your cells, tissues and blood vessels time to repair and heal.
• Strengthens your immune system.
• Fortifies alertness, decision-making, focus, learning, memory, reasoning and problem-solving.
• Enhances creativity and productivity.
• Helps build and repair muscle.
• Boosts your mood and energy levels.

All told, everything is better when you get enough rest.

Say goodnight to sleep issues

With a good night’s sleep, you should feel rested and ready for action during the next day. Regularly missing out on a full night’s rest, however, can not only make you feel sluggish and tired, it can also harm your health. Consistently not getting enough sleep can put you at increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and many other conditions. It can also contribute to weight gain, inflammation and accidents, among other problems.

Sleep tweaks

If you are having trouble regularly getting enough sleep, try these simple sleep strategies.

Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.

Power down. Before bedtime, turn off electronic devices and the TV. Avoiding bright lights and loud sounds from your TV and devices helps set the stage for slumber. Instead, do something relaxing, such as taking a warm bath or reading a book.

Cut back on caffeine and alcohol. Both can be sleep stealers, especially caffeine late in the day and alcoholic beverages at bedtime.

Wear yourself out. Exercise helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Try to get in 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity each day, in the morning or afternoon. Exercise can also boost alertness, so avoid working out in the hours before going to bed.

Sources: American Heart Association; National Institutes of Health