Good sleep is essential for physical health and overall wellness. It plays as an important role in weight loss as diet and exercise—and without good sleep, most people gain weight. Sleep deprivation also negatively impacts hormones, cognitive function and athletic performance. As a transformational nutrition and fitness coach, one of the many things I help clients do is develop a healthy sleep schedule.

Your daily habits and behaviors can promote quality sleep or lead to sleep deprivation. Stress, hectic work schedules and illness can also interfere with sleep quality. While some factors may be out of your control, there are steps you can take to get a good night’s sleep.

1. Adopt a Consistent Schedule

Your body's circadian rhythm, also known as the sleep-wake cycle, functions in alignment with sunrise and sunset. Irregular sleep patterns disrupt this cycle while consistency reinforces the sleep-wake cycle and makes it function optimally. Strive to wake up and go to...