Do you ever get startled when you look at your reflection in the mornings? Dark and heavy bags under your eyes can make you look more like a zombie than a living, breathing person. Fortunately, there are things you can do to fight under-eye circles and puffiness. Here are five easy tricks that work well for me. Hopefully, they’ll help you get your youthful under-eyes back as well!

1. Reduce Your Salt Intake

Sometimes, water retention can lead to inflammation in various parts of the body—including under the eyes. If you notice your under-eye bags seem to get more noticeable after eating high-salt meals, take steps to reduce your salt intake. I know, salt makes everything taste better and it’s hard to cut back on it. However, there are a lot of great substitutes for salt, including salt-free seasoning blends that pack in lots of flavor with the use of herbs and spices.

2. Try a Neti Pot

This tip may sound weird (what does your nose have to do with your eyes, right?) but it might be your secret solution to getting rid of your under-eye bags. A neti pot is a pretty simple (and ancient) remedy you can use to clear out your sinuses. Sometimes puffiness under the eyes can be a direct result of sinus inflammation from seasonal allergies, infections or colds.

Neti pots use saline water to rinse out your sinuses. Just follow the instructions that come with your pot to get started. Be careful not to use tap water, since this increases your risk of contaminating your sinuses with a dangerous amoeba. Instead, always use distilled water with your neti pot.

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3. Supplement Your Diet With Collagen

Collagen is the protein that’s responsible for keeping our skin elastic and stretchy. It’s the most abundant protein found in the human body, but we start producing less of it as we age. Decreased collagen is one of the main causes of under-eye bags.

You can get more collagen in your diet or boost your body’s production of collagen by eating foods like chicken bone broth, leafy greens and wild-caught salmon. If you already eat these foods and still struggle with under-eye bags, it may be time to add a collagen supplement to your diet.

4. Try a Cold Compress

When you need to reduce under-eye puffiness right away, one of the best things to do is apply a cold compress to your eyes. I personally like to use cucumber slices because they contain antioxidants that can help fight the effects of aging. They also feel very soothing to the entire eye area. It may seem weird to put food on your face, but give it a try. You won’t regret it!

5. Remove Your Makeup at Night

My final tip for fighting under-eye bags is to remove makeup at night—without exceptions. It’s easy to fall straight into bed after a night of partying or a busy day running errands, but leaving all that stuff on your face can irritate your eyes. It only takes a few minutes to remove your makeup, so get into the habit today.

These tricks are all pretty simple, but they can become powerful tools for combatting under-eye puffiness. Give them a try today. Your eyes will thank you.