Sleep is normally a restful time that allows your body to recover and prepare for the next day.

If sleep is interrupted, you may feel tired, become irritable, and lose concentration during the day.

Carilion Clinic's Sleep Center in Roanoke offers some suggestions to get enough sleep.

Suggestion to improve your sleep:

1). Get up at the same time every morning, regardless of when you went to sleep.

2). Limit time in bed to eight hours, unless you are ill, and don’t take naps or lie down during the day

3). Use your bedroom for sleeping only, and make it as quiet and as dark as possible (while in bed, do not watch television, do paperwork or computer work, eat, etc.)

4). Avoid exercise within four hours of bedtime

5). Avoid eating or drinking large amounts within three hours of bedtime, and don’t drink caffeine after noon (a light snack is OK)

6). No alcohol or cigarettes within four to six hours of bedtime

7). Schedule “worry time” for early in the evening, or even earlier in the day

8). Sleep in a well-ventilated and humidified area (keep temperature in your bedroom cool, but not too cool or warm)

9). Set your alarm clock and turn the clock so you can’t see it (if you wake up during the night, don’t look at the time)

10). If you can’t sleep, go to another room and engage in a quiet, relaxing or boring activity (repeat this as often as necessary during the night)

11). If you get up during the night, return to bed only when sleepy (don’t worry about losing sleep, you will make it up on the following night)

For more information on how to get enough sleep, click here.