DO you struggle to nod off, or always feel tired?
For many of us, a good night’s sleep is the Holy Grail. But while we yearn for better kip, how do we get it?
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As part of our Health Kick series, we surveyed around 900 readers and found that almost one in three Sun readers consistently struggle to sleep — either every night (16 per cent) or most nights (16 per cent).
It might come down to the fact 51 per cent of readers are unaware what good sleep hygiene entails, while 35 per cent are unsure.
Kerry Davies, aka The Sleep Fixer, tells Sun Health it is all about the daily habits that can enhance the quality of your slumber, such as exposure to enough daylight and moving your body.
The nurse-turned sleep-practitioner has been advising people for 13 years and says everyone can be more proactive when it comes to improving sleep.
The first step is to prioritise sleep, considering it is so often sacrificed in the face of work deadlines or socialising.
Kerry says: “I don’t think people consider their sleep to be important or a top priority.
“When we sleep well, everything else becomes easier, which is why I think it should be held in high regard.”
The effects of sleep deprivation are well documented, and can even be fatal.
Kerry warns: “In the short term, you are more likely to put on weight, be irritable, deal with stress less effectively.
“And all those things you’re placing more importance on, you’re probably not doing them as well as if you had a good night’s sleep.
“When you look at the long term, risk of heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s increases.”
Some obstacles to good sleep feel unavoidable — perhaps aches and pains, worries or a partner’s snoring.
But today Kerry shares her tips and advice to improve your sleep. And there is no lavender in sight!
PART 1: HOW TO SLEEP BETTER
LIGHTS OUT
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THE secret to good sleep hygiene lies in maintaining the body clock, or circadian rhythm.
It is our internal clock that helps govern all bodily functions and they can be influenced by environmental cues – primarily daylight and darkness.
Disruptions to your circadian rhythm can lead to disturbances in sleep patterns.
Melatonin, a hormone created by the brain which promotes sleep, is produced as it gets darker outside.
To optimise the natural production of melatonin, the body needs to recognise that it has become night-time.
In the evening, avoid overhead lights and use a lamp or, even better, a candle.
Kerry says: “Physiologically, this will send a message into the brain that bedtime is approaching, and to release melatonin.
“About an hour before going to sleep is when you want to darken the environment.”
BRIGHT EYED
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JUST as reducing light exposure in the evening is vital, high exposure to daylight in the morning is equally important to keep the body clock regulated.
It facilitates the release of cortisol, a hormone that surges in the morning to increase alertness.
Kerry says: “Lots of bright light in the morning tells the brain that it’s time to wake up.”
If we stay too long in darkness, the body clock can drift, which may affect sleepiness by the evening.
During dark winter mornings, try a lightbox while you eat breakfast, or at least turn on bright overhead lights.
Get out at lunchtime for as long as possible, even if it is overcast.
DOWN SCREENS
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IT is recommended to stop screen time around one hour before bedtime.
Studies suggest the blue light emitted from screens disrupts our brain’s sense of time.
But Kerry says: “Anecdotally, what I find is it’s very dependent on what is being consumed as opposed to whether or not you are looking at the screen.
“So if you are watching a serial killer documentary, that’s probably not ideal for a restful sleep.”
Social media can stimulate thoughts about friends, family or even strangers, keeping your brain ticking through the night.
Kerry suggests turning your phone on to the “grayscale” filter, which eliminates colour, in settings to reduce temptation.
CHILL OUT
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WHETHER it is reading, talking to a friend or watching a comedy, engaging in a relaxing activity before bed can help with sleep.
Kerry says: “Don’t just do it because you think it will make you sleep, but because it helps you to unwind.”
Most of us whizz around the house before bed, brushing our teeth, having a shower, preparing food, cleaning or tidying.
Kerry says: “Do all that stuff earlier. If you’ve been sitting in a cosy dark room reading a book, and then go to the bathroom and turn the light on, it’s counterproductive.”
RESIST LIE-INS
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WHILE it is tempting to “catch up on sleep” at the weekend, it can destroy your kip the following week.
If you have ever struggled to nod off on a Sunday night, you will know exactly what we mean.
Kerry says: “When we think about sleep, we think about the number of hours we had, and not how long our bodies need to prepare to go to sleep.
“So if you’ve got all different wake-up times, your body needs the same amount of time to build that sleep pressure, and that can have an impact on the time that you can fall asleep.”
Sleep pressure is the idea that while you are awake, your body is preparing itself to fall asleep.
So if you are used to getting a solid seven hours a night, then there are a remaining 17 hours in a day when your body is tiring itself out.
Regardless of when you wake up, you will need roughly the same amount of time to feel sleepy.
A Sunday lie-in until 10am – when you wake up at 6am during the week – might mean you are not feeling ready for bed until 3am, leaving you exhausted come Monday.
So if you desperately feel like you need a lie-in, it is probably best to stick to Saturdays only.
EXERCISE
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STUDIES suggest that the more you exercise, the better you will sleep.
Kerry says: “There is some research to suggest that exercise in the morning helps with falling asleep.
“Meanwhile doing some exercise in the afternoon typically helps to maintain sleep.
“It doesn’t have to be crazy, high-intensity exercise, but simply walking.”
Leave a two-hour gap between exercise and bedtime, so the body has got a chance to reduce the heart rate and core body temperature – two key components for sleep.
MEAL TIME
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EATING close to bedtime diverts the body’s focus to digestion, rather than sleep.
Kerry says: “It can be really helpful to not eat a minimum of two hours before going to bed, but try to aim for three hours.”
Ditch the heavy meats, especially those with fat, such as steak, which take longer to digest.
Hot sauces and spices elevate the body temperature, which is the opposite of what is necessary for sleep.
Go for foods such as chicken, turkey, pumpkin seeds, eggs, bananas and tofu.
They contain tryptophan, an amino acid that can boost levels of serotonin, a hormone which improves mood and is thought to contribute to healthy sleeping.
Caffeine consumption should also be watched, whether it is from coffee, tea, energy drinks or fizzy drinks.
At least eight hours should pass between your last hit of caffeine and bedtime.
TIDY SPACE, TIDY MIND
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CREATING a sleep-conducive environment – tidy, clean, quiet and cosy – not only helps us to nod off, but promotes staying asleep too.
Our survey found a third of readers wake up three times or more a night. It is normal to wake up through the night, as long as you do not stay awake for long periods.
This may happen if your environment changes while you sleep, Kerry says.
She explains: “It could be that you fall asleep with the TV on and then it goes off, or when you first go to sleep you can hear lots of cars going past and actually in the middle of the night, it’s really quiet.”
Try to maintain the same temperature, sounds and lighting in your bedroom throughout the night.
PART 2: REDUCE SLEEP DISRUPTORS
SNORING PARTNER
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AROUND one in six people (16 per cent) are plagued by their partner in the night, most likely snoring or fidgeting.
Kerry suggests recording your other half snoring for around 15 minutes, and then listening to it every day for two weeks.
She explains: “Your brain takes it on as a regular sound, and then it is less likely to disturb you.”
But she warns that pauses in breathing, gasps or choking, waking with a headache or dry mouth may be signs of sleep apnoea, which can be dangerous in the long term.
Meanwhile, thrashing around could be a sign of restless leg syndrome.
The condition causes an overwhelming urge to move the legs. But, like sleep apnoea, it can be treated to improve your sleep and your partner’s.
HEALTH WOES
WORRYING about personal health keeps 32 per cent of Sun readers awake at night, our survey showed.
Kerry says: “They might be waiting for results or going through treatment.”
Those experiencing pain need to ensure they have a good mattress and take pain relief before bed, Kerry says.
Negative thoughts tend to intensify during night-time waking hours. Kerry says the executive functioning part of the brain – which controls the ability to reason and think critically – quietens during sleep.
She adds: “It means our ability to problem-solve, rationalise and reason becomes more difficult.
“Stressors in waking hours can feel catastrophic in the small hours because your brain cannot reason at that time.
“Have a mantra to use if you wake up.
“Telling yourself, ‘Brain, you are not working properly at the moment’, can help alleviate that.”
WORRY DUMP
LET’S be honest, most of us have worries that keep us tossing and turning at night at some time or another.
Around 22 per cent of Sun readers cited concerns about money as an obstacle to them getting a good night’s sleep.
Kerry recommends actively thinking about your worries before going to bed to “close the day off”, such as prioritising and planning tasks for the next day.
She says: “When things are super-stressful, having some constructive time to dump all those stresses on paper is helpful.
“Look back on the day you’ve had and recognise what you have accomplished.
“It tends to tie a neat bow at the end of the day.”
STOP SNOOZING
WAKING up feeling unrested is experienced by readers three times a week.
Kerry says the No1 thing to avoid is pressing the snooze button on alarm clocks.
An alarm can bring you out of a sleep cycle, leaving you feeling groggy.
Doing this repeatedly over a morning is a recipe for disaster.
Kerry says: “Set a snooze for just five minutes rather than ten, because otherwise you drift back off to sleep.
“Or have an alarm clock outside the bedroom so you have to get up to turn it off.
“Rather than an alarm clock, I wake up to my favourite song on Alexa every day, which is a mood lifter.
“There is some evidence, too, that waking up to your own name can make a difference, so perhaps consider a recording.”
Feeling unrested when waking could be a sign of an insufficient number of sleep hours.
A good indication is feeling tired mid-morning when wake-up hormones have fallen.