A Better Night's Sleep

Sleep is an essential and involuntary process that is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. One in four people are thought to suffer from sleep problems at some point in their lives, both getting to sleep in the first place and staying asleep.

Sleep deprivation can affect mood, concentration, judgement and reduce our immune system’s ability to fight off minor ailments such as colds and flu. Furthermore, longterm deprivation can lead to health problems including diabetes, heart disease and clinical depression. Don’t eat too early Eating the minute you get up doesn’t give your body chance to return to ‘full power’. Give yourself at least 30 minutes to come round before tucking into breakfast. Don’t eat too late

Eating your main meal earlier can also help with improving sleep. A large meal or late-night snacking or drinking can impact on your digestive system and cause heartburn. Leave at least three hours between having a meal and going to bed. Night light filters Telling you not to look at your phone, tablet or television for hours before bedtime simply isn’t practical. However, your phone or tablet has a blue light filter option and you can schedule that to come on automatically early in the evening. You’ll barely notice the difference on your screen but it will make a difference when you try to get to sleep. Most televisions also have a night-time setting too. Make time to unwind

As we rush through each day, balancing a busy lifestyle and juggling commitments, finding time for a rest can feel impossible. However, if the mind has no opportunity to process information from the day, it waits until bedtime to recap. This results in a poor, restless sleep. Try to build rest into your day by meditating or power napping. The 15-minute time out from your day will create that internal chemistry that is just right for sleep. Additionally, deal with worries or a heavy workload by making a list of things to be tackled the next day. Make your bedroom a sleep haven

Create a restful space: your bedroom should be as quiet and dark as possible. Managing technology is very important, as you need a break from TV, computers, emails and mobile phones before going to bed. Without this break, you are over stimulating your mind and it will be unable to find processing time. Set boundaries with technology and keep all gadgets out of the bedroom.

Keep a watchful eye on your caffeine and sugar intake Ensuring you eat healthily and minimise sugary snacks is essential for keeping your brain and body contented. Sugar causes the body to run on a higher energy pattern, which creates highs and lows as the quick-fix energy hit wears off. This, in turn, sparks a need for more sugar in the body via drinks and caffeine. Eating little and often and keeping hydrated with water, herbal teas and fruit juices, while minimising your intake of fizzy drinks and caffeine, will help ready mind and body for sleep.

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