Increase your chance of a good night’s sleep

SLEEP is one of those things we all wish we were better at.

But, sadly, there’s no miracle way to master it every night.

Having said that, there are healthy habits you can adopt to better set yourself up for a satisfactory slumber.

● Make sleep irresistible: There’s a lot to be said for the lure of soft sheets, a comfy mattress and a soothing, dark ambience. The key is to make your bedroom a haven.

● Disable your devices: Your mind goes a million miles per hour all day long. And staring at your mobile phone or TV right up to bedtime doesn’t allow your mind to unwind. So, make a firm “no devices 30 minutes before bed” rule and allow yourself to drift off with less effort.

● Get moving: Exercise and sleep go hand in hand. In most cases, the better you sleep, the better you exercise; and the better you exercise, the better you sleep. And hitting the sack is the real secret to muscle building. If sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to release the growth hormone (HGH), which stimulates growth and repair of muscles, which in turn boosts metabolism and fat burn.

● Avoid stimulants: It seems obvious, but having coffee or alcohol too late in the day – or in quantities that are too great – can affect your ability to reach that muchneeded deep sleep stage. Kathleen Alleaume is a nutrition and exercise scientist and founder of The Right Balance. Follow her @therightbalance