YOUR SIX-POINT PLAN FOR GETTING THE PERFECT NIGHT
Establishing a great pre-bedtime routine – what’s known as good “sleep hygiene” – will help you drop off more easily and stay slumbering until morning. Try the following...
1 From noon onwards: Stop drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks
Did you know even a post-lunch latte could affect your ability to sleep that night? Studies have found the stimulant effect can last up to 10 hours in caffeinesensitive people.
2 Before 7pm: Eat a light meal
“Eating a heavy meal late in the evening can result in bloating and heartburn which can seriously disrupt sleep,” warns nutritionist Linda Foster. To avoid this, eat as early as possible, and opt for a meal high in vegetables, which sit lighter in the tummy, and with smaller portions of carbs and protein. Good choices include: grilled salmon with salad or a chicken and vegetable stir-fry with basmati rice.
3 10pm: Switch off screens one hour before bedtime
Smartphones and tablets emit a blue light that works to shut off your brain’s production of melatonin – the sleep hormone that makes you feel drowsy and tells your body that it’s time to drop off. Experts also recommend storing them outside your bedroom where they can’t disturb you or be a distracting temptation if you’re struggling to sleep.
4 10.15pm: Make your bedroom cool but cosy
A comfortable sleeping space is always going to be more conducive to better sleep. Just before you doze off, your body’s core temperature drops, an action which helps trigger the sleep process. Because of this it’s better to have your bedroom cooler rather than hotter for sleep. Make sure your mattress and pillows are in good shape to ensure comfort.
5 10.30pm: Wind down
Whether it’s reading a good book, listening to calming music or having a warm bath, repeating the same, relaxing routine every night will help signal to your body – and brain – that it’s time to settle down.
6 11pm: Hit the sack no later than this
If you have to get up about 7am, as many of us do, you want to ensure you’re in bed by 11pm to allow for the ideal eight hours of sleep. In addition, sleep studies have found that the optimal bedtime window is between 10pm and 12am, as this allows your brain and body to get the ideal ratio of deep sleep to REM, or dream sleep, overnight.