Vitamin D is another vitamin which impacts skin health.

It’s often termed the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies manufacture Vitamin D after about 10-15 minutes in the sun.

Vitamin D is crucial for the development of healthy bones and teeth. It helps the body absorb calcium and magnesium, and also maintains appropriate levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Calcium is crucial for normal cell functioning.

Good sources of Vitamin D include limited sun exposure (you only need about 10 minutes a day to get your Vitamin D) and also mushrooms.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It exists in eight different forms, each with its own pattern of activity in the body. For our purposes, we’ll focus on the alpha-tocopherol form, which is the most active form of Vitamin E in humans.

This is the type of Vitamin E you purchase in supplement form.

Vitamin E is another antioxidant (like Vitamin C) which protects our cells against the effects of free-radicals, which are free-floating chemicals that occur as a byproduct of energy metabolism. These free radicals can damage cells, and may accelerate the development of cancer and heart disease.

Vitamin E has also been shown to play a role in immune system maintenance and DNA repair.

Good sources of vitamin E include dark, leafy green vegetables, vegetable oils, and nuts and fortified cereals.

Those who sleep best at night (and fall asleep the fastest) are often those with effective pre-sleep routines. Pre-sleep routines are those patterns of habits or behaviors which signal to your body it’s time to wind down for the night.

While these pre-sleep habits may differ from person to person, there are some general habits which can help you turn off the day’s stress and get ready for bed.

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*Take some quiet time before bed. Turning off the TV and computer, and spending some time reading a book or journaling is a good way to calm your mind and prepare for sleep. The lights and sound from the TV and computer can actually make your body feel like it’s time to wake up, rather than time to sleep.

*Keep a regular sleep schedule. Try to go to bed about the same time each night and to wake up about the same time each day. I read somewhere that going to bed by 11pm is optimal for most people.

*Pull the shades and drop the temperature. You’ll sleep best in a dark and cool room.

*Wear socks. If you are troubled by cold feet at night, go to bed with socks. They will help regulate your body temperature so you can relax and fall asleep faster.

These pre-sleep rituals will help you wind down and get ready for a good night’s sleep.