We all understand how vital it is to sleep well at night. It makes you feel good, calm, and prepared for the day ahead. Your eyes sparkle, your skin looks good, and everything feels simpler. But, sadly, many people find it difficult to get a great night’s sleep.
The irony, of course, is that when life’s tough, sleep is essential for helping you cope. Even if you don’t have full-blown insomnia, you may be plagued by what’s known as ‘junk sleep’ – where you don’t have enough, or it’s poor quality, so you never wake feeling refreshed, and a stressful situation is magnified by tiredness. Find out exactly why sleep matters so much on “Why Sleep Matters.”
As a health blogger, I’m lucky to have access to leading sleep experts, tips, and techniques for quality shuteye. Over the years, I’ve made it a bit of a mission to gather the best information and try to put it into practice, and the good news is there are strategies that really work! From creating the perfect snooze-inducing atmosphere in your bedroom with a sleep hygiene makeover to beating those bad habits that keep you awake and beating your bad sleep habits, some of the simplest tricks can really make a difference.
Having a great night’s sleep isn’t just about what you do before you go to bed, either – your whole day can have an impact on your slumber. Find out how on “Your Sleep-Friendly Day.” And if it’s your pesky mind that’s keeping you awake with overthinking, discover how to soothe stress-related sleep problems on “Calm Your Mind.” Those nights you find yourself staring at the ceiling? Turn to our insomnia troubleshooting guide on “Your Insomnia Troubleshooter.”
I hope you find the advice and tricks in this article to transform your sleep. Keep going – it can take a while to change habits and reap the benefits. Here’s to banishing those dark circles for good!
Discover Your Sleep Style
We all sleep differently. Your friend might snooze easily after an espresso on a plane, but you might struggle, even after chamomile tea since 5 pm. This guide helps you sleep better by changing your bedroom, habits, and behaviors.
If you never feel refreshed waking up, these tips can show if you need more sleep. Knowing your sleep pattern and fixing it helps you sleep well. Adjust your routine and space to wake up feeling fresh and energized.
Why Sleep Matters
Not just vital for giving you enough energy – sleep is crucial for your health and well-being too.
Most of us don’t get enough sleep. Research by the Mental Health Foundation shows one-third of us, according to the Economics and Social Research Council, one in 10 of us now regularly take medication to help us sleep. But lack of sleep doesn’t just cause a frayed temper and red eyes – it also affects your health. Here’s why solid shut-eye really counts.
Women who sleep well age better and their skin recovers more quickly when it’s put under stress factors such as sub exposure.
1. It Really Is Beauty Sleep
You’ve probably noticed that your skin looks fresher and brighter when you go to bed early. A study from University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, US, found that women who sleep well age better, and their skin recovers more quickly when it’s put under stress factors such as sun exposure. Plus, poor sleepers have more signs of skin aging, including wrinkles, sagging, and pigmentation.
2. It Keeps Your Mind Sharp
Getting good-quality sleep can help lower your risk of dementia, according to US research. The scientists think that during sleep, your brain gets ‘cleaned’, and substances called beta-amyloid plaques, linked with Alzheimer’s, are cleared away. Missing out on sleep increases the risk of plaques building up.
3. It May Reduce Cancer Risk
Some research is showing a link between poor sleep and some common forms of cancer. One study found that sleeping for less than six hours a night puts you at a 50 percent increased risk of bowel cancer. Other research has linked lack of sleep with more aggressive breast cancer.
Doctors believe poor sleep disturbs your immune system and can trigger dangerous inflammation inside your body. It may be that the hormone melatonin, produced when you sleep, could help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer.
4. It Boosts Your Immune System
Studies on shift workers reveal a great deal about how lack of sleep damages the immune system. Daylight, which triggers wakefulness, is a stronger influence than even a deep need for sleep, so most shift workers average only five to five-and-a-half hours of sleep. Constantly overriding your body clock’s signals creates a lot of stress in your body, which can dampen immunity.
A study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that sleeplessness causes a spike in white blood cells in a bid to boost immunity, which is the same way your body reacts to high stress. A recent study found that sleep helps to strengthen the immune system’s memory – so it’s better able to remember bugs it’s come across before and mount a more effective defense against them.
5. It Keeps You Slim
People who sleep badly are more likely to be overweight. A study from the University of Stanford, in the US, found poor sleep leads to raised levels of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hungry, and lower levels of leptin, another hormone linked with feelings of satiety. That’s why you may have found you eat more after a bad night’s sleep. Get enough and you’ll have much more control over what you eat
6. It Cuts Your Risk Of Heart Disease
If you regularly wake up feeling unrested due to poor sleep, you’re at a 63 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, according to research. A study by the American Heart Association found that sleeping for fewer than six hours a night increases inflammatory substances in the blood by 25 percent, raises blood pressure and heart rate, and affects blood sugar levels, which can raise your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Sufficient sleep will lower your risk.
How Well Do You Sleep?
Are you getting all the good-quality shuteye you need to feel your best? Take our quick poll to find out:
How Did You Answer?
If You Chose Mostly As
Lucky you! You sleep like a baby (except babies probably wake up more). You seem to be blessed with good-quality, refreshing sleep and not to have many worries that need addressing. It could be because you have a sensible wind-down routine, consistent sleep and waking times, and you understand the value of good sleep hygiene. There may be times in life, however, when sleep becomes more elusive.
Major life changes such as having children, working evening or night shifts, sleeping with a new partner or even moving house can disrupt your routine. Periods of stress can also interfere with the quality of your slumber. You’ll find lots of advice over the following pages that will help you to minimize the effects of any such changes.
Learn how to calm your mind, and, as someone who knows the importance of good sleep. you’ll love all the expert tips, tricks, products and ideas we’ve compiled to help enhance your time between the sheets even more. Essential oil blends to use for a relaxing night’s slumber.
If You Chose Mostly Bs
You’re no stranger to decent sleep, but let’s face it, you’re not always the best of bedfellows, either. Hopefully, answering these questions has alerted you to some of the areas where you could be more attentive to your sleep needs. It could certainly be worth keeping a diary so you can start to identify factors that may be contributing to your sometimes sleeplessness.
Maybe your bedroom deserves a makeover, or perhaps your diet and lifestyle could be tweaked to help ease that morning grogginess? Check out “10 Surprising Sleep Fixes.” There’s a wealth of information in this book that can help you find the right solutions for you and get a great night’s sleep every night.
If You Chose Mostly Cs
Insomnia is clearly a very big issue for you. Perhaps you struggle to drift off, maybe you’re wakeful in the night, or daytime sleepiness is becoming a problem – or all three are conspiring to keep you on the brink. It would be well worth a trip to your GP to discuss your sleep difficulties. It may be that you have a sleep disorder or underlying health condition that could be resolved.
Doctors don’t only give you pills; they might send you to other doctors who can help, like therapists. You can also use this book to figure out how to deal with your sleep problems.
Learn how to remove the obstacles to sleep and look back at the questions where you chose a C as your answer. These give clues as to your key areas to address if you want to improve your sleep. If you spend your weekends in bed till noon, bringing a more structured timetable could work wonders. Each point might seem minor when you’re in sleep deprivation, but the marginal gains all add up.
Night Owl or Lark?
It’s not just a myth. People who like to stay up late or rise early have different brain structures.
Do you hate getting up early? Or do you pop out of bed in the morning without needing an alarm? Maybe you often hit the snooze button and stay in bed after staying up late watching TV? Or perhaps you’re just naturally someone who prefers going to bed early and waking up early.
It turns out that most of us really are either a night owl or an early bird. Scientists recently discovered that the physical structures of the brains of ‘morning people’ are different to those of us more inclined to stay up into the wee small hours. Researchers in Germany scanned the brains of those who like to stay up late, as well as early risers, and discovered that the owls’ white matter was less efficient in the transmission of nerve signals than those who preferred early mornings.
Brain Lag
The diminished ‘integrity’ of the white matter, found in several brain areas, may be linked to depression. Studies suggest that depression is more prevalent among night owls. The exact cause remains unclear, but researchers are exploring the possibility that it could be due to the owls experiencing a kind of jet lag induced by a sleep deficit. Other studies indicate that owls are more prone to seasonal affective disorder, though scientists are uncertain if there’s a direct link. On the bright side, night owls often maintain focus as the day progresses.
However, experts argue that whether you’re an owl or a lark isn’t set in stone. Regardless of being an owl or a lark, more people are staying up later due to modern technologies and lifestyles. This trend is largely attributed to our biological clocks (or circadian rhythms) evolving when we lived within the natural light-dark cycle. Present-day living, particularly artificial light, contributes to making us all a bit more owl-like, keeping us awake long after sunset.
Research indicates that evening light exposure can disrupt our biological clocks, leading us to stay awake longer. Despite the growing number of night owls, steps can be taken to reset our body clocks to lark.
Becoming A Lark?
You may not be a ‘morning person’ naturally. but with a little lifestyle tweaking you can change the sleeping habits
of a lifetime.
- Get up at the same time every day. Even at weekends. And no matter how tired you feel, don’t hit the snooze button.
- Invest in a natural daylight alarm clock. A more gentle and natural awakening than a bleeping alarm will help to reset your circadian rhythms.
- Exercise in the morning. Working out will boost your energy earlier in the day and could help you feel more tired sooner at night.
- Practice good sleep hygiene. Help you nod off a little earlier – and get a restful night’s sleep so you feel more refreshed in the morning.
Our biological clocks (or circadian rhythms) evolved when we had a live within the natural light-dark cycle. Modern life is conspiring to make us all a bit more owl-like.
Owls Tend to
- Need an alarm clock to wake them up
- Choose to go to bed at least an hour later than the average time, probably more like two hours
- Avoid breakfast or eat it later, often after arriving at work
- Catch up on sleep at the weekend, often getting up to two to three hours later
- Prefer to do their hard exercise in the early evening
- Have flexible mealtimes, depending on how their day is going
- Be impulsive and adaptable and enjoy novelty
Larks Tend to
- Feel at their best in the hours after waking up, and be exhausted and ready for sleep at around 9pm
- Be hungry on waking and usually eat a hearty breakfast within 3o to 60 minute of rising
- Most likely struggle when their seep pattern is disrupted
- Go to bed and get up at roughly the same time during the weekend as weekdays
- stick to rigid mealtimes
- Prefer to exercise in the mornings
- Be creatures of habit
5 Foods To Help You Nod Off
Tuck into these sleep-inducing foods to feel sleepy fast. Did you know you can help ensure a good night’s sleep by eating the right foods before bedtime? Some foods naturally contain chemicals and nutrients that have a soporific effect. We asked nutritional therapist Shona Wilkinson what you can eat to ensure you get a sound night’s slumber.
1. Turkey
“Turkey is often said to be a sleep promoter, as it contains good levels of tryptophan, the amino acid that converts into serotonin and then melatonin in your body,” says Wilkinson. But it’s not all about the tryptophan. Turkey is also a good source of zinc and vitamin B6 – and these, says Wilkinson, can help your body make melatonin from tryptophan. Ideally, you should have a serving of turkey earlier in the day rather than in the evening. Why not have a wholemeal pitta filled with turkey and salad for a quick lunch?
2. Coconut Water
Swap your hot chocolate for a cup of pure coconut water in the evening to help you have a restorative night’s sleep. “Coconut water is an excellent source of water ‘electrolyte’ minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sodium,” says Wilkinson. “Balanced levels of these minerals are needed to maintain normal muscle action, nerve function, and hydration in your body. Deficiencies or imbalances may cause cramping sleep. Choose a natural version with no added sugars so you don’t get a jolt of glucose that may disturb your sleep.
3. Oats
During sleep, your brain and body still require glucose for functioning. Low glucose levels may prompt the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, potentially causing awakenings. Hunger and difficulty falling back asleep can also indicate low glucose levels.
To avoid this, add slow-release carbs to your dinner. Wilkinson says these carbs, found in whole grains, keep your blood sugar steady, giving your body a steady energy boost.
Oats are a top pick – you can have a small bowl of porridge or muesli, or try some oatcakes with nut butter as a snack in the evening, about two hours before bed. Other whole grains work too, so if oats aren’t your thing, consider having brown rice with dinner or a slice of rye bread with nut butter a couple of hours before hitting the hay.
Remember, sugary foods and white carbs can do the opposite, as they quickly enter and leave your bloodstream, leaving your blood sugar low again. So, stay away from sugary foods and white bread.
4. Pumpkin Seeds
“Pumpkin seeds contain a lot of magnesium,” Says Wilkinson. This mineral helps relax your muscle fibers and might also play a role in the pineal gland’s function. This gland produces melatonin, a hormone crucial for regulating your sleep-wake cycle and aiding in falling asleep. To reap the benefits, aim for one to two tablespoons of magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds daily.
You can easily incorporate them into your diet by adding them to plain yogurt, sprinkling them on salads, or grinding them up and mixing them into porridge. Additionally, raw seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables are also excellent sources of this essential mineral.
5. Cherries
“Cherries contain small amounts of melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep cycles,” explains Wilkinson. Although all cherries may contain some melatonin, studies show that Montmorency cherries, in particular, can help improve sleep.
You could try snacking on dried tart cherries before bed or reach for a glass of juice. Research from Louisiana State University in the US found that when people swigged Montmorency cherry juice before going to bed, they got an average of 90 minutes more sleep.
Your Sleep Hygiene Makeover
Make your bedroom sleep-friendly to boost your chances of a good night’s rest.
Days 1-3
Creating the right environment and bedtime routine is crucial for solid sleep. If you’re dealing with minor short-term sleep issues or “junk sleeping” – where your sleep is shallow and you keep waking up at night – making some simple tweaks might help. Even if you have more serious insomnia, improving your sleep hygiene is an essential first step. Try these easy tricks for better sleep.
Embrace the Quiet
While some people find comfort in falling asleep to the sounds of trains, planes, or traffic, for most of us, noise is a distraction that disrupts sleep. Try to make your room as soundproof as possible by closing the door, using heavier curtains, or even investing in triple glazing. Earplugs can also be helpful, especially if you’re traveling or sharing a space with a snorer or noisy roommate.
Cool It
Studies have shown that 16-17°C is the ideal temperature for sleep. “Your body temperature cools slightly when you go to sleep, and artificially triggering this cooling can help you fall asleep,” says neuroscientist Penelope Lewis, author of “The Secret World of Sleep” (Macmillan Science, £17.99).
The best way to do that? Program your heating to switch off about an hour before bed so your room reaches the optimal temperature by the time you hit the sack. This is also the idea behind having a warm bath before bed – it tricks your body into heating up and then cooling down again.
Check how warm your duvet is – make sure you switch from a winter-weight tog to a cooler one in the summer. Also, ensure you don’t wear too many warm clothes in bed – natural, breathable fabrics like cotton and silk are best.
10 Surprising Sleep Fixes To Try Tonight
Tired of counting sheep? Here are some new tricks that really work:
1. Give Yourself Acupressure
Falling asleep could be as simple as massaging your wrist. An Italian study found that sleep quality improved in 60 percent of people who massaged an acupuncture point called the HT7 point, which is linked to anxiety and insomnia. Locate it at the crease where your wrist meets your hand, directly below your little finger. All you need to do is hold your thumb firmly there for two minutes. It busts tension and helps you nod off.
2. Sleep Smart
The longer you lie in bed awake, the more you’ll associate bedtime with feeling anxious. Calculate how long you actually spend asleep and match your time in bed to it. So, if you never fall asleep before 2 a.m., that’s the time you should hit the sack. As you feel more relaxed, you can work back to a more normal bedtime.
3. Freeze Your Pillowcase
Lowering your core body temperature to aid sleep can prove tricky in the summer when nights are usually warmer, which is why you may not sleep so well then or when on holiday. Try this quick trick from sleep expert Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan: on hot nights, stick your pillowcase in the freezer for an hour before bed to cool your head and your overall temperature.
4. Choose Your Clock Carefully
Lots of us now rely on smartphones and tablets to look at the time during the night, or to wake us with an alarm in the morning. But that can mean you get disturbed during the night by the sound of texts, emails, and app reminders – and you may feel tempted to look at social media if you wake in the night. Switch off the tech and use a proper alarm clock instead.
5. Get Grateful
Research from Grant MacEwan University in Canada has found that spending 15 minutes writing in a gratitude journal every evening can transform your sleep. Yes, really – it helps you worry less and feel more optimistic, so you sleep better. Grab a special notebook and list everything you can think of to be grateful for, from your brilliant yoga teacher to the delicious lunch you had with a friend.
6. Breathe Deeply
Holistic expert Dr. Andrew Weil has pioneered the 4-7-8 breathing technique to induce a sense of calm and encourage sleep fast – it floods your body with oxygen, which calms you. Here’s how to do it: Lightly rest the tip of your tongue just behind your upper teeth and exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for seven. Exhale through your mouth for eight. Repeat three more times – or until you nod off.
7. Tweak Your Duvet
If you and your partner prefer different duvet thicknesses, think about swapping one double duvet for two singles. This way, you can maintain a comfortable temperature in bed – particularly during the warmer months like summer.
8. Wear Socks To Bed
Keep your tootsies cozy. Warming your feet encourages your blood vessels to dilate, and that sends a signal to the brain that it’s time to nod off. It’s blood vessel dilation in your extremities – such as in your hands and feet – that is particularly snooze-inducing.
9. Take An Energy Supplement
Ginseng is often associated with energy rather than sleep, but a study from Catholic KwanDong University, South Korea, found that the herb could actually improve sleep quality and quantity. Take it as a supplement or cut open a capsule and add to a cup of boiling water and honey for a calming bedtime drink.
10. Listen To Classical Music
Studies show that listening to classical music for 45 minutes at bedtime can improve sleep in people with insomnia. This kind of music lowers anxiety, distracts your mind, and encourages your muscles to relax. Put it on in the background as you get ready for bed.
Beat Your Bad Sleep Habits
Struggling to fall asleep at night? It might be time to assess your pre-bed routine – and it actually starts earlier than you might realize.
Days 4-6
When you lead a busy life with multiple deadlines and spend most of the day multitasking, asking your mind to suddenly quiet down enough for you to instantly drift off the moment your head hits the pillow can be a tall order. To maximize your chances of feeling relaxed enough to sleep, you need to prepare both mentally and physically in advance. Here’s what you need to know.
Eating Too Much, Too Late
A large, rich meal in the evening isn’t the best bedfellow. You won’t sleep comfortably and may also experience heartburn and indigestion once you lie down, which can wake you up. If you have acid reflux, you might even wake up coughing.
“The best thing to go to bed on is a fairly empty stomach,” says nutrition consultant Ian Marber. “An active digestive system delays deep sleep, although you don’t want to wake up hungry either. So aim to have your dinner before 8 pm if possible, and if sleeplessness is an issue, try eating your main meal at lunchtime and having a lighter supper.” Soup with butter beans stirred through or chicken or fish with steamed vegetables are good, healthy choices.
Nodding Off On The Sofa
If you don’t get enough sleep at night, you might find your eyes getting heavy during the afternoon or early evening. A short nap (20 minutes or less) can be restorative. According to Professor Jim Horne, a sleep expert and emeritus professor at Loughborough University, napping just after lunch is best for short, refreshing naps. However, if you snooze for 45-90 minutes, you’ll have moved into deep, slow-wave sleep and could wake up feeling worse. “Avoid naps after 3pm,” says Professor Horne. “It takes longer to fall asleep at night the more recently you’ve slept during the day.”
Burning The Midnight Oil
As anyone who works in the evenings knows, it’s hard to arrive home from your shift and switch straight off. The same goes if you’re working from home, sitting on your laptop until late at night. Ideally, we all need some downtime away from spreadsheets, Word documents, or emails. Even if you’re on a deadline, decide on a bedtime, set an alarm for 30-60 minutes before that, and stop work. It’s better to get up early and refreshed if you still have tasks to finish off.
Too Much Screen Time
There’s another reason working late keeps you awake: the blue light emitted by your computer suppresses the hormone melatonin, which promotes good quality, deep sleep. The same applies to smartphones, tablets, and even your TV. A study at the Brain & Psychological Sciences Institute at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia found that using a mobile phone 30 minutes before sleep disrupts the REM phase. Similarly, a study at the University of Zurich found it altered brain waves, also affecting sleep.
Many devices now come equipped with tools to adjust the colors and brightness of your screen in the evenings, such as Night Shift on iPhone. However, it’s even better to shut down all screens for ideally two to three hours before bed. Falling asleep to the TV is also a no-no – if you have one in your bedroom, try moving it out for a while and see what effect it has on your sleep.
Drinking Alcohol
Nightcaps and cocoa might seem like good sleep aids, but they’re not. Alcohol can make you feel drowsy at first, but it disrupts your sleep later on. Cocoa’s sugar and caffeine won’t help either. Instead, opt for herbal tea or water. They’re better choices for a good night’s rest.
Just don’t drink too much before bed, or you’ll end up waking up needing to pee! Avoid teas like fennel that increase urine production. Try calming teas like valerian and chamomile instead. They help you relax and sleep better.
Your Weekend Lie-ins
We know it’s tempting, but try not to lie in for too long. “Get into the habit of going to bed and rising at the same time, even on weekends,” says Harrold. “This will help regulate your sleep patterns so you’ll soon become sleepy and wake up naturally at the same times each day.” Another reason to avoid lounging in bed on weekends? Lying in late – which sleep researchers have dubbed ‘social jetlag’ – has been linked with increased cholesterol and triglycerides, which may increase the risk of heart disease.
Too Much Caffeine
People’s sensitivity to caffeine varies wildly. Some can drink strong coffee night and day and sleep like a log, while others can’t have a cup of tea after 4pm in case it disrupts their sleep. But it’s a good rule of thumb for everyone to switch to herbal teas in the evening.
If you’re really struggling to sleep, consider quitting caffeine in the afternoons, too. Be aware that caffeine isn’t just in coffee and tea – it’s also found in cola, energy drinks, green tea, some health supplements (particularly fitness-related ones), chocolate, and trendy snacks containing raw cacao. Watch out for painkillers, too; anything labeled ‘express’ tends to contain caffeine as it helps your body absorb the painkiller more quickly.
Taking Your Troubles To Bed With You
We’ve all been there – your body is exhausted but your mind refuses to let you sleep. Maybe you keep replaying a meeting at work in an attempt to better understand why a colleague said what they did, or perhaps you keep thinking of what you should have said to that friend who criticized you for something that wasn’t actually your fault.
Unfortunately, what your brain is doing by this is keeping you awake, to give you the chance to solve your latest work, relationship, or money worry. Your thoughts go round and round in your head, and the longer the answers (and sleep) elude you, the more agitated you become.
Putting in place all the wind-down suggestions above should help, but another tried and tested technique is to keep a notebook by your bed and scribble down a few thoughts to ‘park’ them for the night. You might want to write down anything that’s worrying you. Or perhaps write your to-do list for the next day, so you don’t lie down and start mentally compiling it, instead.
Tomorrow, I’ll email my colleague and ask him to expand on his and my roles in the near project.
Late-Night Exercise
Keeping active helps promote restful sleep – if you haven’t exerted yourself during the day, sleep may elude you at night. ‘When you lie down, your body might think, “what’s the point of this? I don’t need it,”‘ says independent sleep expert Dr. Neil Stanley.
But what if you go to the opposite extreme? If you lead a busy life, it can be tempting to fit in late-night sessions rather than skip them.
‘Don’t leave it too late, though,’ advises Stanley. ‘Your body temperature rises when you exercise and the subsequent cooling process mimics what happens as your body prepares for sleep. An evening gym session or run may mean you’re too stimulated and hot to sleep well.’