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Go for quality, not quantity. While a solid eight hours is recommended for all adults, sometimes pain, chronic illness, continence issues, depression or stress prevent many from hitting that target. According to the UC Berkeley research, though, it's the deterioration in the quality (i.e., difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep) that keeps �memories from being saved by the brain at night.� Ditch any late-day coffee. It�s hard to remember whether caffeine is good for you and bad for you, as the studies seem to say something different every day. But one thing remains constant: caffeine stays in your system a long time, so it�s best to avoid consuming it too late in the day. Cut it out starting around 3 to 4 p.m., experts recommend. Get a sound or white noise machine. Whether you�re lulled to sleep by sirens, speeding cars or songbirds, a sound machine may be a wise idea for keeping your brain and body focused on the task at hand: sleeping. Waterfall sounds may prompt unwelcome midnight bathroom excursions, but many machines have a white-noise option that works well for sleepers of all ages. And yes, there's probably have an app for that, but if you�re going to use it, keep the device away from your bed with the screen off. Hint: put your phone in airplane mode at night, which still allows you to make or receive emergency calls. Work out. Zumba, yoga, jogging, tennis, boxing, or a brisk walk�it doesn�t matter how you exercise as long as you do it consistently. Your body will thank you in more ways than one, an important one being more quality rest when you are able to sleep.