How to sleep well – every night!

Finding it difficult to get some shut-eye? Dr Christian shares his tips on how to overcome a sleepless night

yawn-inducing 43 per cent of A British women aren’t getting enough sleep. It’s not surprising with our modern lifestyles, where women juggle work and family life and have to manage disturbances from children, partners, stress and computer screens. Here’s how to get a handle on it…

give your kids a regular bedtime

Research has found that mums are more likely than dads to be called on by kids “around the clock,” which means women are often more sleep-deprived. Some parents try keeping children up later so they’ll sleep in – but in a recent study, nine-month-old babies who were in bed by 8pm, and self-soothed, slept 80 minutes longer than babies whose bedtimes were after 8pm and who were soothed to sleep by parents. Have a regular schedule, a relaxing wind-down routine, and check in on kids when they wake – but don’t stimulate them by talking. Also keep TVS out of bedrooms; a study found that increased TV viewing led to shorter sleep duration. Try to instil a “no phone” rule too; children who use them before bed have over double the risk of disrupted sleep. Bed-wetting is another disturbance, although totally normal. Don’t give kids drinks too close to bedtime, make sure they go to the loo before bed and don’t tell them off – they’re already embarrassed. You can wake regular bedwetters for a wee just before the time they tend to wet the bed – it should break the habit in seven days. If your kids have nightmares, stay with them – but don’t wake them. Most kids grow out of them, but see your GP if they’re getting them a lot.

log OFF, Please!

Plenty of studies have shown that exposure to blue light late at night is linked to sleep disturbance – but phones in bedrooms also increase psychological alertness, because we’re anxious about missing out on messages. Research has shown that people who text a lot have higher levels of stress, which leads to sleep problems. We’ve forgotten how to switch off; we’re constantly looking at our phones, checking emails or waiting for texts, and we feel bad if we switch off our phones. We’re on “half alert” all the time, but we’re not living in a cave and a sabretooth tiger isn’t going to attack, so we don’t need to be. You need daylight in the day

and darkness at night. Open your curtains as soon as you wake up, get outside on your lunch break, walk some of your commute and turn off screens at bedtime.

FIND STRESS SOLUTIONS

Lots of stress and a lack of sleep won’t help your immune system, increasing your risk of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. It’s obvious, but research has shown that a bad night’s sleep makes you stressed, and stress makes you sleep badly – it’s a vicious cycle. Break it by working out what you can do to relieve stress. Rather than sitting quietly, focus on your breathing and do something fun that releases tension, whether that’s going for a walk, baking or having sex. And if you’re overworked and overtired, don’t rely on caffeine or your sleep could suffer.

TAME THE MENOPAUSE

Disturbed sleep is a big problem for menopausal women. There’s still a fear of HRT, but it’s perfectly safe. Research has shown that women whose sexual desire drops during menopause are more likely to report sleep problems, night sweats and depression. If you’ve lost your sex drive, it might be a physical thing, like vaginal dryness, or it might be mood-related. Either way, we can help; but, equally, don’t feel you should be having sex. To cool down before bedtime, take a shower, keep a water spray next to the bed to spritz your face and wear breathable cotton.

BE COMFY WITH YOUR BUMP

It can be difficult to get comfortable during pregnancy, and women can suffer with heartburn, acid indigestion, and sleep apnoea – if you suffer with any of these, see the pharmacist. As your bumps grows, the harder it is to lie comfortably, but on your side is usually best, and you can use various pillows to support your bump. I also recommend resting in the day, if you can.

LEARN TO SLEEP WELL WITH YOUR PARTNER!

Two people’s sleep habits are unlikely to match, so work out how to both be happy! If your partner is a snorer, they should avoid alcohol close to bedtime; and position is everything – snorers are worse on their backs so a nudge is always useful! If one of you is hot and the other cold, pick a lighter duvet and add blankets, or share a bed but have single duvets. Your room should be dark, cool, and your mattress should be comfortable.