Countdowntoa goodnight’ssleep
TV news anchor Tom Bradby is off work because of insomnia. We look at an hourlong plan to help you get quality shut-eye
BY KIM JONES IT WAS revealed this week that News at Ten anchor Tom Bradby has been unable to work for five weeks due to a bout of insomnia.
Here we show you how a relaxing wind-down routine will help you nod off more easily... 60 MINUTES BEFORE: SET AN ALARM… FOR BEDTIME Some sleep experts suggest you set an alarm about an hour before you intend to go to bed to remind you it’s time to start a “dimming-down” relaxing routine. 55 MINUTES: STOP CHORES Doing physical jobs such as tidying up needs to stop around now. But if you have to do one last task, make it the washing up.
According to a Florida University study, washing dishes can calm the mind and lower stress levels by 27 per cent. 50 MINUTES: EAT TWO KIWIS You should have eaten your dinner at least a couple of hours before you head for bed, but if you’re still peckish, peel a kiwi fruit or two.
Scientists at Taiwan’s Taipei Medical University found kiwi helped subjects fall asleep quicker and sleep more soundly too. It could be thanks to the high serotonin and antioxidant levels in the fruit.
Natural remedies include valerian and passion flower, according to sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley. Try Nytol Herbal Simply Sleep One-ANight Tablets, £5.99 nationwide. 45 MINUTES: DEAL WITH YOUR TO-DO LIST “Send that last email and pay that gas bill you’ve been meaning to sort all day so they’re off your mind,” said Dr Stanley. “Write down your worries and your action list for tomorrow.
“Research conducted by Baylor University in Texas discovered that people who took five minutes to write their to-do lists before bed found it easier to drop off to sleep.” 40 MINUTES: THINK OF FIVE GOOD THINGS Write down or think of five things that were good about your day. They can be as simple as enjoying a hot coffee to bumping into an old friend for a chat in the supermarket.
Psychology studies from Manchester University and the University of California have shown that writing a gratitude journal, or thinking about what’s good in your life at bedtime – rather than what’s bad – can help you fall asleep faster and for longer, diverting your mind away from any worries. 30 MINUTES: TURN DOWN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS “Blue light – emitted from phone and tablet screens – is known to suppress the release of melatonin, which is the body’s signal that it’s time for sleep,” said Dr Stanley.
“Research shows that nearly one in five check social media before going to bed, so try to put your phone, laptop or tablet down now.”
All bright lights reduce our output of melatonin, so switch off overhead lights now and use dim lamps instead. 25 MINUTES: STRETCH Passive stretches, which require no strength or balance, can help you wind down to prepare you for sleep.
“Stand with a slight bend in your knees, drop your head down, lean a little forward and let your arms dangle,” said Lexie Williamson, author of The Stretching Bible.
“Start to roll down in slow motion by letting your upper back, then mid back round.
“Take four or five slow breaths in and out while doing so.” 20 MINUTES: WASH AND BRUSH UP “Brush your teeth and remove your make-up well in advance of getting in to bed,” said Dr Stanley. Leaving them to the last minute can make you feel alert all over again. 15 MINUTES: TAKE A FIVE MINUTE HOT SHOWER “Not only is this relaxing but by heating the periphery of our body, it actually helps us cool down our core,” said Dr Stanley.
“In order to get good sleep, we need to lose about 1C of body temperature. “Only 12 per cent of people have a bath or a shower before they go to sleep so give it a go. See if it makes a difference.” 10 MINUTES: VISIT THE LOO Dr Stanley said: “A staggering 42 per cent of people say they don’t get enough sleep because they need the toilet in the night, so make this one of the last things you do before bed.” 5 MINUTES: READ A BOOK A Sussex University study found that losing yourself in a book lowered stress levels by 68 per cent in participants.
So turning a few pages in bed could make it easier to sleep. LIGHTS OUT: SQUEEZE YOURSELF TO SLEEP If your body feels tense, try squeezing muscle groups for about five seconds at a time, then releasing them to help all your muscles relax. First, squeeze and curl your toes for about five seconds, then release. Work next on your ankles, then calf muscles, thighs, bottom, tummy (pulling it in), chest (taking a deep breath), fists, arms, shoulders and neck (raising your shoulders to touch your ears), even your eyelids. Hopefully you’ll be asleep before you get to the top.
Blue light from mobile phones and tablet screens suppresses the release of melatonin