Tips for improving your sleep

Prioritise sleep – the first step in getting better sleep is to recognise the importance and to make it a priority. Keep a regular sleep schedule, including on weekends and holidays.

Try to get some bright light in the morning and aim for dim lights at night. Use lamps in your bedroom in the evening rather than bright overhead lights. Light is an important regulator of our sleep-wake cycles.

Avoid screens before bed – this includes TV, computers, tablets, phones and back-lit e-readers. If you can’t get away from your screens, consider blue light blocking tools such as glasses that filter blue light or apps you can install on your devices such as flu.x (justgetflux. com) or Twilight (twilight. urbandroid.org). Some devices also have a ‘night mode’ you can switch on. Exercise regularly, especially in the morning, but avoid heavy exercise late at night. Avoid stimulants (caffeine or nicotine) before bed.

Avoid or limit alcohol – you might think a glass or two helps you to relax and fall asleep, but drinking alcohol has been shown to worsen sleep quality.

Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.

Remove distractions from the bedroom.Keep your phone outside your room, or turn off notifications and switch it to flight mode.