TEN STEPS TO A PEACEFUL NIGHT

From low iron levels to an afternoon cuppa, our major series reveals the many triggers that can wreck your rest — and the small daily changes that can make such a difference

Use these simple ten rules to prime your body for a great night’s rest.

1 SET A WAKE-UP TIME IT DOESN’T matter what time, as long as it’s the same every day, even on weekends, and it’s around eight hours after your bedtime (to ensure you’re not depriving yourself of sleep by spending too little time in bed). The brain loves routine, and ensuring you have a solid bedtime and wake time will prime your body to sleep on schedule.

2 EXERCISE DAILY exercise will help tire the body and send more oxygen and endorphin-rich blood to your brain, potentially boosting mood and meaning a less anxious mind. A less anxious mind is one far less prone to have trouble sleeping. For some, an evening exercise session can be too stimulating, so try to exercise earlier in the day.

3 GET OUTDOORS IF YOU get that daily exercise outdoors, all the better! Even a walk will do: the key thing is taking the opportunity to absorb natural light during daylight hours. We are all children of the sun, and exposing ourselves to sunshine (even through cloud) tells the cells in our body that it is daytime, which also helps them recognise that when the light dims, it is night-time — strengthening our circadian rhythm. Position yourself near a window while working so you can get all the benefits of daylight at your desk.

4 EAT LESS BEFORE BED HAVING a large, carbohydrate-rich meal in the evening can not only cause uncomfortable acid reflux, but may also trigger the production of more insulin to mop up sugar from the blood. This can then encourage rebound low blood sugar at night and cause the release of stress hormones, which can be detrimental to sleep.

5 NO AFTERNOON BREW! YOU should stop consuming caffeine after lunch. Caffeine keeps you awake by blocking receptors in the brain from detecting the sleepiness hormone adenosine, and six hours after taking in caffeine half of it is still circulating in the body. So keep it for mornings only.

6 MEDITATE ANY sort of relaxation technique will work nicely to settle the mind and create an aura of calm before bed. Meditation, mindfulness, a slow yoga routine or slow breathing exercises for five to 15 minutes will all reap benefits.

7 HAVE A SOBER SUPPER IF YOUR sleep is not great, it is best to avoid alcohol in the evening. While many people think alcohol has sedative effects, a drink-induced slumber will not be a good quality one. Sleep is more likely to be disrupted and alcohol can exacerbate symptoms of sleep apnoea.

8 NO LATE CIGARETTES I’M NOT going to ask you to give up smoking, even though it is obviously better for your health to do so. But I am going to suggest that if you do smoke, you avoid it within half an hour of bedtime. Nicotine is a stimulant and will stop you nodding off. Smoking can also cause inflammation in the throat and worsen sleep apnoea.

9 SCREEN-FREE READING READ a book, listen to music, or do something that doesn’t involve bright lights or screens for one to two hours before bedtime. Light exposure at night inhibits the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which regulates your sleep. This can delay your sleep phase, making you want to sleep later and wake later. But it’s not just the light, it’s also what we are doing on our gadgets that matters. Watching some exciting film, or getting irritated by something we’re reading on Twitter, is not going to be particularly conducive to a good night’s sleep.

10 UPSTAIRS & LIGHTS OUT ONE central element of ‘sleep hygiene’ is to use the bed for nothing but sleep (and sex). We want you to have an almost Pavlovian response to bed — to see your bed and feel overwhelmed with a desire to close your eyes and sleep. So don’t spend time in the bedroom during the day, if you can help it. Fit blackout curtains, keep good quality sheets clean and the duvet tog right for the season, use low lights, get under the covers… and switch straight off.