Not everyone has an easy time getting to sleep. Where some people seem to drift off peacefully the moment their eyes close, others tend to lie awake for another half hour or so wondering about things that happened during the day. You might even be plagued with completely random but non-sleep-filled thoughts as you struggle to relax and sleep. If this sounds familiar, know that you are joined by millions of other teens and adults who don't sleep nearly as comfortable as they'd like to. Taking too long to fall asleep is a common hallmark of stress, distraction, and a lack of connection with your places of sleep.

Bedtime worriers tend to be practical-minded people who are continually looking for solutions to problems. That also means you're probably looking for actionable solutions to your sleep problem just like everything else. So rather than telling you to relax, find your center, and let those worries go, let's talk actionable sleep plans. Sleep can be enhanced or detracted from in a lot of different ways, and one of the easiest to control is your physical sleep environment. If it reminds you too much of work or school, then you are likely to think work or school thoughts while in the bedroom.

Here are a few ways to make your bedroom more welcoming to sleep in so you can finally drift off comfortably.

1. Try a White Noise Generator

The human mind tries to fill in silence. If you have ever thought you heard a distant radio or someone calling your name only to realize it was a mild auditory hallucination, you might understand how a perfectly quiet room might not be ideal for sleep. If your mind is busy, silence is much more comfortable to write over than a soft whooshing noise. White noise generators are becoming increasingly popular because they are quite effective at enhancing the way you sleep and relax.

2. Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

The way your skin feels is another major contributor to how easily you can fall asleep. Dry skin may become itchy and be distracting while you're trying to sleep while feeling hot and sticky or clammy never did anyone any favors in the sleep department. These problems are usually the result of too low or too high humidity in your bedroom. If the humidity is something inherent to the region, consider buying a humidifier/dehumidifier combo that can either put more moisture into the air and pull moisture out of the air if need be.

3. Turn Up the Fan

Airflow can also make the difference between sleeping peacefully versus tossing and turning. A lack of airflow can cause the air in your room to become stuffy and completely still atmosphere can make it difficult for your skin to manage its moisture efficiently. For the sake of your skin and sleep quality, turn up the ceiling fan above your bed. If you don't have a ceiling fan, pick up a box fan online or from the local department store and point it at yourself when you sleep. You might be surprised how effective this can be for enhancing the bedroom's primary purpose.

4. Get a Window AC Unit

Of course, moving air isn't the only airflow that's helpful for sleep. Closed up while you sleep, the air in your room can get stuffy which will significantly reduce the quality of your sleep. It is an especially significant risk if you have a reason to have the vent register closed. An alternative to the vent register is a window-mounted tiny AC. It will steadily filter and pump in cold fresh air that will ultimately improve the sleep environment of your bedroom.

5. Turn Off All Lights

Studies have found that the amount of light in your bedroom can be perceived through your eyelids and does get to your brain. We associate light with both daytime and activity which can send wakefulness signals to your mind. Even the soft glow of the bathroom light down the hall can be a problem, and there are other solutions for not stubbing your toe when heading to the bathroom half-asleep at midnight. Be sure to turn off every light that can be seen from your bed when you sleep and then notice how much light there still is in the room.

6. Throw a T-Shirt Over the Alarm Clock

Most people sleep in a room with several small electronic glowing faces without even realizing it. The cable box under your television, the charging light on your cell phone, and of course the big bright digital alarm clock is a classic. While you may not be able to turn these lights off, you can get them out of your sleeping eye line. The fastest method is to cover glowing devices, even the alarm clock, with a thin towel or clean piece of clothing, then uncover them in the morning. Covering the alarm clock will also stop the insomnia cycle of staring at the clock and admonishing yourself for still being awake.

8. Put Your Phone Out of Arm's Reach

While you're planning where to put things and how to cover them, make a new charging station for your phone on the dresser or vanity rather than the table right beside your bed. We suggest this for three distinctly different reasons. The first is that phones glow, and anything glowing right by your head will be harder to mask. The second is that phones tend to chirp and beep with notifications and messages that wake you. And finally, having your phone several steps away from the bed in the morning is a great way to motivate yourself to get up.

9. Use a Hot Water Bottle

Manipulating your body temperature is a significant part of getting to sleep when you're having trouble. Ideally, you're looking for the perfectly comfortable compromise between a cold room to sleep in, and a warm be. Turn down the thermostat to rest and let yourself get a little cold. The urge to curl up somewhere warm is a sign that you're about ready to relax. Then heat your bed with a cloth-wrapped hot water bottle and dive into those pre-warmed sheets.

10. Breath A Little Chamomile

Finally, certain scents correlate strongly with our ability to get to sleep. While there is a debate on many other plants, we can all agree that there's something distinctly sleepy about chamomile. If you like tea, drink chamomile tea and breath the steam as a relaxing measure before bed. If you don't drink tea, consider an oil diffuser stick kit which can disperse the scent into your room quickly.