Here are my top tips for deep and restful sleep:
- Keep caffeinated drinks down to 2 per day in the morning only (ensure these aren’t large coffees which can have 3 shots of caffeine)
- Avoid alcohol. It sedates you initially but interferes with deep sleep and blood sugar regulation causing you to sleep lightly and wake easily
- Have carbohydrates with dinner and / or a carb snack at bedtime such as a banana and oatcake – this triggers melatonin our sleep hormone
- Ensure there is a gap of at least 2 hours between dinner and bedtime
- Keep lights in every room low as this also triggers melatonin, and avoid digital devices that emit stimulating blue lights
- Don’t ignore when you are tired in favour of more TV or work – this is the time your body grows and repairs
- Make sure your bedroom is not a cinema, a dining room or an office. It should signal a place of rest and quiet.
- If you wake in the night and can’t get back to sleep, try a banana and listen to a gentle meditation
- If you wake suddenly or have a dry mouth you may have sleep apnea. Nasal strips are helpful for keeping the airways open and encouraging nose breathing rather than mouth breathing which can raise stress levels.
- Sleepio is an NHS free online sleep programme for people in Berkshire, Bucks and Oxon. It helps you address worries and lifestyle changes to track and improve sleep