Everyone knows that sleep is essential for good mental health, but could not getting enough sleep actually be making you gain weight? The answer is yes. Getting improper sleep causes you to be more stressed out, which can lead to you consuming more calories throughout the day. Sleeping more can actually increase your metabolism and promote weight loss, but the environment you sleep in matters. Find out how you should sleep to start loosing weight...

1. Forget the phone.

If you think playing games on your phone helps you fall asleep, you couldn't be more wrong. The bright light shining from the phone actually lowers the levels of melatonin produced in your body making it harder for you to achieve a restful state. It is recommended that you put your phone away at least 30 minutes before bed for best results.

2. Loose the nightlight.

People who sleep in darker rooms are more likely to sleep all the way through the night, and are 21 percent more likely to loose weight compared to those who sleep in lighter rooms. Closing all the doors in your room, and closing the shades or blinds on all the windows are both great ways to darken up your room.

3. Chill out.

You may think sleeping in a hot room will cause you to sweat out your weight in your sleep, but you've actually got the idea backwards. Sleeping in rooms below 66 degrees actually boosts your metabolism, and improves insulin levels for people with diabetes. So next time you want burn some fat, try turning the thermostat down.