24 brilliant ways to ensure YOU can get a good night’s sleep

. . . and 23 other scientifically proven tricks that will help you to get a good night’s sleep at last

HUG YOUR OTHER HALF...

CUDDLING can reduce your blood pressure and heart rate. And sleeping close to someone reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol, which makes you more likely to fall asleep.

If hugging leads to sex, that’s great for sleep. Production of oxytocin, known as the ‘love hormone’, surges during the act, while cortisol takes a dive — thus relaxing you and banishing all worry. Even better, an orgasm releases the hormone prolactin, which also makes you sleepy.

PULL ON THE BED SOCKS

HAVING warm feet can help you fall asleep faster. A study by Swiss academics found that warming the feet widened blood vessels and helped release heat from the body’s core. A South Korean study found people who wore bed socks fell asleep sooner and enjoyed 32 minutes’ more sleep, with fewer awakenings, than those who slept sockless.

SLEEP ON A TENNIS BALL

POOR sleepers spend most of their time on their backs, according to one study. One reason is that this position can trigger snoring or breathing problems such as sleep apnoea (pauses in breathing during sleep).

Sew a pocket into the back of your pyjamas and pop a tennis ball into it every night.

If your pyjamas have a front pocket, wear them so the pocket is at the back. If you roll on to your back, the tennis ball will give you a not-so-gentle reminder to roll back onto your side.

WARM YOUR EYES

A RECENT Japanese study found warming the eyes to around 40c not only helps people fall asleep, but can also make them get more deep sleep. Try using a ‘warming’ eye mask and a microwavable neck pillow.

DUVET DILEMMA

ARE you always on the losing side in the duvet tug-of-war? Try sleeping like the Scandinavians do — with two; one single duvet each.

TALK TO YOURSELF

IF YOUR mind is still in a whirlwind of worry when you lie down, try speaking out loud. This engages parts of the brain that are separate from those responsible for negative ruminations. Talking out loud also helps slow your brain, as thoughts can race much faster than the spoken word.

So, if you’re anxious about a large bill, for example, say out loud: ‘I just need to look over my bank statement tomorrow and start working out a budget.’ This tactic works just as well if you whisper, by the way.

NO CHOCOLATE IN BED!

CHOCOLATE contains a small amount of caffeine (the darker the chocolate, the more there is). So don’t opt for a midnight snack.

TAKE A 2PM NAP

IF YOU’VE had a really poor night, a nap can help you make up the deficit the next day — without affecting night-time sleep. But timing is vital.

Between 1pm and 3pm, there is a small dip in core body temperature, which is a signal to the brain to release the sleep hormone melatonin. To work with this natural dip, the ideal nap time may be around 2pm.

Ideally, your nap should last for just 10 to 20 minutes — and no longer than 30. After that, you enter a deeper sleep that can leave you feeling groggy and more tired than before.

PLAY MIND GAMES

GIVE your brain a mental exercise