Sleep sometimes ends up playing the neglected little sister when it comes to the health family. Big sisters Diet and Fitness take center stage when it comes to health magazines, topics of conversation, and chats with your doctor, but if their little sister isn't being taken care of, the elder siblings will have a much harder time seeing success.

Not getting enough sleep affects everything else in our bodies, and can affect our weight loss (or weight gain) and our ability to build muscle and heal properly from workouts.

We know we need enough sleep to regulate our system, repair tissue, and download our lived experiences as memories in order to feel mentally healthy. Pay attention to little sister Sleep and the whole family will be balanced!

Turning off the screens (TV, computer, tablet and phone) at least an hour before we expect to go to bed gives our brains time to properly wind down, as having any lights on makes our bodies think it's still daytime and we should try and stay awake and alert. It may not seem like a big deal to be playing games on your little screen right before you slip off to dreamland, but even small amounts of light can keep our brains in go mode, forcing us to stay awake longer than we should.

If you absolutely have to finish up your Candy Crush game, at least switch to the dimmest setting and don't hold it right up against your face.

Lowering the brightness in your home as the evening goes on sends a message to your brain to start getting tired, simply because there's less light. 

Keeping a single light on for evening kitchen visits instead of slamming on the full overheads, using night lights in hallways and for your bedroom, replacing your bright, blue-white bulb to a softer, orange-y option can all contribute to a relaxing place for sleep.

Do you know which chakra activates will power? In the center of your body is your solar plexus chakra that is linked to our determination and courage. Linked to the vibration of the color yellow, it can make us feel energetic and bold like the sun when it's in balance. 

Simple ways to balance this chakra are situps, plank pose, breath of fire and bringing more yellow clothing or decorations into your life. 

The muscles in your solar plexus are exercised when you laugh so getting a good dose of humor regularly can increase your optimism and brighten your outlook. 

Do you have trouble speaking your mind? Balancing your Throat chakra can help you be more vocal and stick up for yourself. Lots of people go their whole lives without actually saying how they feel even though it's incredibly good for our health and relationships.

Eating blueberries and blackberries can help you stimulate the Throat chakra so you can communicate better. Wearing blue lapis lazuli stones as well as turquoise or blue-coloured clothing can help us balance an overactive or underactive Throat chakra. If it's overactive, you may be speaking without thinking, which can drain us of our vital energy.

Stretching the neck in yoga poses (such as plow pose) can also help balance your Throat chakra so you can find your voice!