5 STEPS TO A BETTER NIGHT

6.30am Wake up with the sun

Before you do anything else in the morning, open your curtains. Don’t turn on the light, look at your phone or switch on the TV – for a great night’s sleep the first light to hit your eyes in the morning should be daylight. “Sunlight in the morning is the signal your brain needs that it’s daytime and it’s time to be awake,” says Dr Stanley. “You just need a few minutes of natural sunlight to kickstart your circadian rhythm (your body clock).” When daylight hits your eyes it sends a signal to your body clock, to tell it to stop producing the sleep hormone melatonin and to start pumping out cortisol instead to give you an energy boost and get you up and moving. It also helps to get your body clock in sync, setting your sleep patterns and the time you should naturally wake up. In the winter, you can get the benefits of sunlight first thing with a sunrise alarm clock such as the Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 Alarm Clock (£59.95). Call 01954 780500 or visit www.lumie.com

7am Boost your bacteria

How well you sleep has an effect on how happy your gut bacteria are, and how happy your gut bacteria are has an effect on how well you sleep. “Our gut bacteria have been shown to play a role in regulating our sleep/wake cycle as well as in the production of hormones and other substances that are involved in how well we sleep,” says Dr Stanley. Looking after the friendly bacteria in your gut could help to improve your sleep pattern and even improve the quality of your sleep, according to a study by US researchers. At breakfast, try topping up your good bacteria with a probiotic supplement such as Bioglan BioHappy Daily Cultures (£16.99/24 sachets) from Holland and Barrett. Find out more about how to keep your gut bacteria happy on page 32.

10am or 4pm Make your move

Exercise such as walking or cycling – even for just 10 minutes – can dramatically improve how well you sleep if you do it regularly. When you exercise depends on when it feels best for you; early morning exercise could help you wake up, especially if you exercise outdoors. Exercise in the afternoon and it may help reset your sleep/wake cycle by raising your body temperature slightly, then allowing it to drop and trigger sleepiness a few hours later. Exercising outdoors gives you the added benefit of extra daylight to keep your body clock in sync and stop energy slumps during the day.

9pm pm Take a screen break

Switch off your TV, phone and computer at least an hour before bedtime. “The blue light given out by computers, TVs, smartphones and even the light from paperwhite devices such as e-book readers, has been shown to suppress the release of melatonin, which is the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep,” says Dr Stanley. “Using devices before bed could make it harder for you to fall asleep, affect the quality of your sleep and make you feel drowsy the next day.” Wind down with a book or listen to the radio in a dimly lit room instead.

10pm p Make it cool and dark

Stick to roughly the same bedtime every day so your body knows when it should start to feel sleepy. Set your bedroom up to give you as much uninterrupted, good-quality sleep as possible. “The number of hours you need to sleep to wake up feeling refreshed, alert and focused during the day is very individual, so rather than worrying about the amount of time, focus on getting great quality sleep,” says Dr Stanley. “Your room should be as dark as possible, cool (between 16-18°C) quiet and comfortable. Buy the biggest bed you can fit into your bedroom and keep a window open as fresh air is good for sleep.”