How to be more alert

The winter months bring with them dark mornings and the urge to hit the snooze button a few times too many.

But Silentnight’s sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan says there are ways to spring out of bed without the need for a strong coffee.

Dr Nerina says: “Not everyone is naturally a morning person, but you can encourage your mind and body to be more alert and optimistic in the morning by practising a number of techniques.

“It might sound strange, but eating breakfast is non-negotiable. It is the first way to improve your relationship with sleep. People who eat breakfast have less difficulty falling asleep, wake up with more energy and are less inclined to hit the snooze button.

She continues: “Many people who struggle to get up in the morning rely on caffeine to give themselves a boost. This isn’t ideal and will get you into a vicious cycle. Caffeine blocks the action of melatonin which helps us sleep. Try to avoid any caffeine after 3pm, never have caffeine before your breakfast and if you’re really serious about becoming a bright-eyed morning person, cut it out completely.

“Start to wind down earlier in the evening. Have a good soak in the bath or read a book for 20 minutes before bed. You will sleep well and find it much easier to wake up in the morning.

“Allow yourself more time to get ready and prepare for the day.

“This isn’t about getting up and getting into work earlier, it’s about waking up and giving yourself quiet time to prepare for the day ahead.”

She concludes: “Try to avoid reaching for your phone first thing to check emails. While looking at your bright phone screen will wake you up, it doesn’t allow you to wake up gradually.”