According the National Sleep Foundation, 30-40% of adult Americans suffer from some type of insomnia over the course of a year, with 10-15% experiencing chronic sleep issues. That means over 130 million Americans have sleep issues—more than any other country worldwide! (Talk about the WRONG kind of overachieving!)

The next time you’re having a run of sleeplessness, try incorporating a soak in the hot tub about one to two hours before bedtime—it could be key in breaking the cycle and getting back to a night of restful slumber.

A number of things related to a soak help your body relax and prepare for sleep. One of the key factors is simply the hot (102-104 degrees) water: raising your core body temperature sets your body up to automatically cool down after leaving the tub. To your anatomy, this is a signal that it’s time to sleep.

A second “help” is the buoyancy achieved by soaking in a big body of water. Taking the pressure off your joints and muscles that have built up over the day will release tension, and set your body up to relax. (Some good jets to massage your body don’t hurt, either!)

Taking a soak before bed also helps you avoid other activities which stimulate your mind and delay the onset of a restful sleep: watching television, sitting in front of the computer, video games…all of these activities place your eyes in front of bright screens and stimulate brain activity.

Make a shift and turn your final waking hours into decompress time. Turn the lights down low, turn on some soothing music, grab a towel and head out to the hot tub. It could make a huge difference in your everyday life!