Tips for a Better Nights Sleep

Sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing and when we don’t get enough sleep it can impact our physical health, as well as our mental health.

Poor sleep has not only been associated with irritability, anxiety and poor concentration, but also serious medical conditions including obesity, cardiovascular heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

According to Mental Health UK, almost 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep.

So how much sleep do you need?- the truth is, it all depends on you! Majority of people need approximately 8 hours of sleep a night to function optimally, but some may need a bit more and some may be ok with a bit less.

Whether you’re worried you’re not getting your 8 hours a night, or whether you’d just like to maximise on the quality of the sleep you are getting, these tips can help:-

Follow a bedtime routine - aim to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day. Keeping a regular bedtime, where possible, can help you fall asleep and wake up more easily.
No screens at least 1 hour before you go to bed - all light can suppress the production of melatonin but blue light, such as that emitted from the screens of your mobile phone, TV and laptop is particularly bad for this. Some suggest you should be avoiding blue light for between 2-3 hours before you go to bed. If you cannot avoid screens for this period of time, you may consider purchasing blue light blocking glasses for example.
Move during the day - research suggests that the more active you are through the day, the quicker you fall asleep at night and the better quality of sleep you get.
Write out a “to-do” list before you head to bed - if you struggle to sleep because your mind is full of distractions this can help to clear your mind before you head to bed.
Have sex - unlike other physical activity, sex makes us sleepy!
Reduce your caffeine intake - caffeine promotes wakefulness by blocking adenosine receptors within the body. During the day, levels of adenosine should increase in the body making us feel drowsy by bedtime, but caffeine does the opposite and stimulates us. Cutting back on tea and coffee past lunch time or 3pm may help you fall asleep at night, as well as increase the quality of your sleep.