We’ve all been there. It’s the wee hours of the morning and you’re wide-awake, tossing and turning. The minutes tick by and you’re counting just how many hours of sleep you can get if you fall asleep right now. Stress and pent up energy from the day prevents you from dozing off, causing you even more stress and frustration.

A recent New Yorker article noted that over the past 50 years, the average sleep duration shrunk by an hour and a half, down to just under seven hours per night. And a whopping 69 percent of us report getting insufficient sleep. In fact, according to the CDC, sleep deprivation is a public health epidemic.

Sleep Hygiene – It’s Real

Our ability to get enough quality sleep is affected by our habits. That’s why sleep hygiene is so important to our overall well-being. But modern life is taking a toll and making it difficult for everyone to get enough shuteye.

We’re constantly juggling priorities and responding to the ring, beep, or buzz of our devices. As the lines between work and personal time blur, people are plugged in at all hours. Not only are our minds racing after all that stimulation, but the blue light emitted by devices actually suppresses the ability to fall asleep.

Wondering what can help? Workplaces can let employees know that it’s not just OK, but encouraged, to disconnect from technology before bedtime as a way to help them fall asleep faster.

Nutrition plays a key role in sleep, as well. After a long day, it can be easier for you to swing by the fast food drive-through than to cook a healthy dinner. While that’s a quick fix, a meal heavy in fat and salt is likely to make it difficult to fall asleep.

But many people find making time to cook a challenge. Eat more healthfully by sharing tips with co-workers on how to plan meals and prep ingredients before the workweek starts. This will save time in kitchen and make it easy to stay on track.

When you’re low on energy, you’re more likely to reach for an afternoon caffeine boost, which in turn will keep them up late. Motivation to exercise drops when you’re tired, but physical activity during the day actually helps you sleep better. It can be a vicious cycle of not-so-healthy habits, all contributing to this sleep crisis.

Once that afternoon yawn hits, try going for a walk, maybe even with co-workers, instead of taking a coffee break. You’ll perk right up and – as an added bonus – get in some activity!

More Than a Stifled Yawn

Not getting enough rest has serious consequences, beyond stifling a yawn in that important meeting. Extreme fatigue contributes to about 100,000 car accidents in the United States each year, and played a role in both the 1986 Russian Chernobyl nuclear explosion and the 1986 U.S. Space Shuttle Challenger accident.

Our infographic illustrates the wide range of ways sleep deprivation negatively impacts well-being. For example, sleep deprivation can contribute to health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and depression. And people who sleep fewer than six hours a night are 30 percent more likely to be overweight.

When you show up to work after a night of poor sleep, you’re less productive. The CDC reports that sleep deprived employees have 23 percent reduced concentration and 18 percent reduced memory. They have less energy and a decreased ability to cope with stress.

Building healthy habits that support good sleep is a small but important way to improve your well-being. Before long, these healthy habits will reap rewards beyond just sweeter dreams.

Want to learn more ways you can help improve sleep? Check out our suite of tools and resources on the topic.

This article originally appeared on: The Uprising Blog