…AND 6 TRAPS TO SIDESTEP

1 TAKING A COLD SHOWER.

It may seem strange but a warm shower – or bath – before turning in can make it easier to get some shut-eye, says Dr Stanley. The reason? It warms the skin, allowing heat to escape, triggering that all-important core temperature drop that helps to prime our body for sleep. The best time to shower? Around an hour before hitting the sack.

2 SLEEPING NAKED.

Contrary to what you may think, wearing pyjamas is better than sleeping in the buff. Why? “The fabric draws sweat away from your body, helping you to feel cooler,” says Dr Stanley.

3 A LIGHT-FILLED BEDROOM.

Walk through any Mediterranean town or village in the heat of the day and the shutters are closed. With good reason. Keeping the inside of the house dark keeps out the heat and leads to a lower ambient temperature. “Ideally the bedroom should be around 16-18°C,” advises Dr Stanley. So, tempting though it is to let the sun stream in, closing curtains, blinds and/or shutters is more likely to do you a favour come bedtime.

4 EATING TOO LATE.

Eating pushes up the body’s core temperature as your metabolism gets to work burning calories. “Your body doesn’t want to be working at night, so it’s best to eat early and avoid big heavy meals,” observes Dr Stanley. Intriguingly, research has found that a carb-based, high-GI meal around four hours before turning >>

in makes it easier to drop off, while other research suggests a touch of fat also helps. A good excuse to tuck into that bread dipped in tzatziki.

5 A BED THAT’S TOO COSY. Take a tip from inhabitants of hot countries and sleep under a thin sheet. Alternatively, invest in a light – anything below 7.5 tog – summer-weight duvet, preferably made of natural fibres. And, if you have a foam mattress topper, stash that away for the duration too. Foam absorbs heat, which can make it harder to sleep. Believe it or not, wool helps keep us cool so go for a natural wool topper if you can’t sleep without that extra layer on your mattress. 6 LATE NIGHT TEXTING. Tempting though it may be to WhatsApp your friends and family at home with your latest batch of holiday snaps, or text for a midnight catch-up, it’s a bad idea. Research shows that bedtime mobile use makes it harder to fall asleep. Meanwhile, blue light from smartphones and tablets results in a potentially sleep-blocking combo of higher body temperature plus delayed production of melatonin, the sleep hormone released as night falls.