Tips to sleep easy, by wellness consultant Stephen Marks

The world seems preoccupied with us achieving more sleep or a better quality of sleep. Almost every magazine is heralding a miracle sleep programme, so it’s no wonder a recent feature in The Economist valued the sleep industry at a staggering $51 billion in 2014, predicting this figure would rise to $81 billion by 2021.

You can buy just about anything to aid your sleep these days, from specialised pillows, mattresses, sleep masks, sleep clothing and even a sleep robot (that mimics your breathing), to sleep supplements, drinks and sleep technology.

But what if the key to getting a good night’s sleep came down to some common sense, mindful practices and AI – and by this I mean Ancient Intelligence not Artificial Intelligence?

Thanks to modern science and medicine, we have become adept at diagnosing conditions, but often neglect to treat underlying symptoms.

Practices such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness help to restore a balance within the body and mind and can often address the most frequent underlying causes of poor sleep, which are stress, anxiety and over-stimulation.

How we manage our day is directly linked to how well we sleep. When your head hits the pillow and you are unable to fall asleep, more often than not, it is not quality or softness of that pillow or mattress that is to blame, but the fact your body and mind are out of balance. Mindfulness can achieve an equilibrium by paying attention to what you do during your day. Here are six simple tips I would like to share that can make a huge difference to how well you sleep.

You may be surprised that my tips start with morning practices and the first of these is to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of rising. Ideally, include some form of protein like nuts or nut butter.