Despite the fact that sleep is one of the most important parts of maintaining good health, many struggle to get the deep sleep that their body needs on a nightly basis. Not only can a lack of sleep leave you feeling groggy and exhausted in the short term, but in the long term there can be many serious side effects, like an increased risk for heart disease and stroke as well. The good news is, though, that there are many simple things you can begin doing today to help improve your sleep quantity and quality.