05\ INSOMNIA!

No need to lose sleep. Insomnia may be a blight on your day, but by reworking your approach to your eight hours, you’ll wake up a healthier man

The Fear Eighty per cent of Brits don’t get enough shuteye, which not only increases your likelihood of dropping a kettlebell on your toes, but ramps up your risk of diabetes, CVD, obesity and depression. Plus, it damages relationships, IQS and work performance. Oh, and your brain starts eating itself. It’s enough to keep you up at night, basically.

The Truth Insomnia isn’t just the result of too much pre-bed Instagram/caffeine/exercise, but an illness suffered by a third of the population. “We work later and watch screens later,” says sleep expert Neil Stanley. “But sleep is the foundation of good physical and mental health. Get it right and everything in your life will improve.” Which is a great sentiment, but with your risk of early death rocketing by 12% following a string of sleepless nights (according to the journal Sleep), what can we do to combat the prospect of an overwhelmingly holistic doomsday (and night)? The answer, it seems, could be absolutely nothing.

The Plan How many hours you need may be hard-wired, but when you get them isn’t. Forgo the pressure to drop off by doing away with a fixed bedtime altogether. Experiment with times until you’re not drowsy the next day, then commit to that time, whether it’s 10pm or 2am. Finally, note down any worries to deal with tomorrow. A Uni of Northwestern study found this increases duration and quality of sleep. Night-night.