Sticking with a consistent sleep routine—a regular bedtime, and a regular wake time—strengthens your body’s circadian rhythms and the biological cues (like melatonin release) that help you fall asleep, according to Reader’s Digest.

If you slept poorly the night before, you may want to slide into bed ahead of schedule. But this can actually make sleeplessness worse. People with insomnia frequently have irregular sleep-wake cycles.

Hitting the sack unusually early may garner you some “extra” sleep in the early part of the night, but you’re likely to wake up earlier than normal, throwing your sleep routine even more off-kilter. Aim to have your bedtime deviate by no more than 30 minutes from one night to the next.