If you toss and turn every night, or lie awake ’til the wee hours, you’ve got company. One in seven Canadian adults has insomnia. There are sleep distractions at every age: While you are younger, parenting duties may keep you up; as you age, pain, menopause or sleep apnea may mess with your rest.

Researchers have uncovered that there is a link between sleep quantity and increased risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. “We talk about sleep as one of the three pillars of good health, along with diet and exercise,” says Dr. Steven Lockley, a neuroscientist in the division of sleep medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston; an associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; and a co-author of Sleep: A Very Short Introduction.

If you’re craving better sleep, read on: New research is shedding light on how to get it.