What keeps you awake?

We answer some of the common questions about what goes on in the dead of night

How much sleep do I actually need?

A review of 320 research articles concluded that seven to nine hours of shut-eye per night were optimal for over-18s and, according to the NHS, ‘most adults’ should be getting between six and nine. It’s not clear, however, who ‘most adults’ are. ‘Individual sleep requirements are like height,’ says Dr Neil Stanley, author of How to Sleep Well (Capstone). ‘To a large degree, it’s genetically determined and anywhere between four and 11 hours would be considered normal.’

Quite a scale, then. So how do you know where you sit on it? Listen to your body. ‘It’s the amount of sleep that allows you to wake up alert and refreshed the following day,’ says Stanley. If you’re nodding off at your desk, try tweaking your bedtime and tracking your body’s response to identify your sweet spot.

And remember, you will need more sleep in periods of heavy training.

Is it bad that I wake often in the night, but

soon fall back to sleep?

It’s not ideal – but if you’re drifting straight back off and not feeling exhausted the day after, your sleep’s not ‘bad’. Professor Adrian Williams, who holds UK’s first Chair in Sleep Medicine, at Kings College London defines bad sleep as the inability to drift off within 30 minutes, or having frequently disturbed slumber resulting in wakeful periods more than four nights per week. If you’re not feeling bad the next day, you are probably being woken during dreaming or REM sleep – which is not terrible news in terms of hampering the benefits you get from your shut-eye. ‘The sleep that allows you to feel refreshed and restored is slow-wave sleep,’ adds Williams. ‘That’s what you need most.’

My legs spasm painfully in my sleep – what’s

going on?

Twitchy legs before bed, or while you’re lying there, is called restless-legs syndrome. ‘It’s characterised by an uncomfortable, irritable feeling in the legs, which can be painful,’ says Williams. ‘In response, patients move their legs to relieve the discomfort.’ The condition is thought to be neurological; Williams points to studies attributing the condition to a problem with iron storage in the body. Supplementation can help, as can a medication called dopamine agonist, which acts in the brain in the same way as the happy hormone dopamine. The final word? Discuss treatment options with your GP to kick the habit (and not any person with whom you are sharing your bed). •

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Valerian

What? The pungent extract of the root of the perennial flowering plant.

Why? Herbalist Karen Lawton says its oils have a hypnotic or sedative effect. ‘I’d prescribe it for people struggling with insomnia due to an offkilter circadian clock, such as shift workers.’ There’s little proof valerian’s effect is more than a placebo, but studies have linked consumption to better selfreported sleep quality.

How? Mitigate the whiff by taking it as a pill an hour before bedtime. Always start with the lowest dose (300mg) and work up, if necessary, as per the instructions on the label.

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Camomile

What? An extract of the flowering part of this daisy-like herb.

Why? Wilson says there’s no pharmacological evidence to support the notion that camomile induces sleep, but some small studies relying on self-reported data credit a mild sedative effect to the antioxidant apigenin binding to anxiety-reducing receptors in the brain.

How? Lawton recommends brewing it in a tea. Try Pukka Three Chamomile (£2.50 for 20 teabags, tesco.com).

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Lavender

What? The lilac flower grannies use to perfume their cardigan drawers.

Why? ‘Lavender can help you get to sleep by reducing anxiety and increasing relaxation,’ says Lawton. Research suggests it can improve quality and duration of sleep – and even help you wake up more refreshed. The study samples may be small, but even a sceptic such as Dr Wilson says there’s evidence to warrant a sniff.

How? Lawton suggests combining fresh lavender with oats in a little fabric pouch. Pop it inside your pillowcase to ensure you’ll reap the benefits of the scent through the night.