Improve your sleep patterns

Getting sufficient shut eye is crucial to staying healthy.

The body needs time to rest every day, and it's recommended you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each day.

When you don't get enough sleep, you could suffer from insomnia, narcolepsy, Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and sleep apnea. These are all causes of more serious conditions such as diabetes, obesity and depression.

If you're having trouble sleeping, you can try a few things to help your sleep patterns.

First, you should try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up around the same time every morning. This will get your body into a routine.

Next, make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark. Don't go to sleep with the TV or lights on and make sure the room temperature is neither too hot nor too cold.

Also, you should make sure you're sleeping in a comfortable bed. A good mattress that doesn't bother the body is important for getting good rest.

Finally, don't eat large meals before bedtime. This can irritate your stomach and keep you awake.

Use these tips and get some shut eye!

Follow these steps and more as a part of The Fittest Loser Challenge sponsored by Assurance.

• Jill Micklow is the Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Daily Herald Fittest Loser Challenge. She brings Assurance's passion for minimizing risk and maximizing health to clients nationwide, helping them identify specific health and wellness goals and tailoring programs that help them achieve success. Through education, motivation and engagement, Assurance clients and their employees see an improvement in overall health, morale and productivity thanks to Jill's efforts.