Do you struggle to get to sleep at night? Maybe you fall asleep easily but wake up in the early hours of the morning and find it difficult getting back to sleep again?

It’s a common occurrence. According to the UK-based organisation The Sleep Charity: 

• 40% of adults and children in the UK suffer with sleep issues

• 20% of road deaths in the UK are related to fatigue

• Sleep deprivation costs the UK economy £40 billion a year

So if you are someone who does have issues with your sleep you are clearly not alone.

Sleep deprivation can have a serious impact on our everyday lives. Lack of sleep and broken sleep can affect how we think, how we perceive situations (emotional and physical), our memory, and our mood - often causing low mood.

Even our appetites are affected by a lack of sleep. Many people who are sleep deprived will crave high fat and high sugar food and drinks to compensate for their lack of energy and to help them get through the day. Unfortunately though, that is the worse thing we can do, as those foods and drinks are full of stimulants including sugar  and caffeine, and are often a contributing factor as to why we can’t sleep in the first place.

So what can you do to help break the habit of poor sleep and improve your well-being? Here are some suggestions to try.

1. Try sleeping on your back. Sleep expert Guy Meadows, founder of the Sleep School app, says this offers the best support for your whole body and is the position most likely to help you drift off to sleep and remain asleep.

2. Have a mug of warm milk with a quarter of a teaspoon of ground nutmeg mixed in about two hours before bedtime. It’s understood the properties of warm milk help the body to make melatonin, the hormone we need to prepare us for sleep. And nutmeg is believed to contain compounds which help to calm and balance our central nervous system.

3. Have a regular bedtime routine, including washing your face and brushing your teeth.The practice of a routine will encourage your body to prepare for sleeping helps to calm your mind.
   

4. Write down your “to do” list for the following day on the evening before - and not too close to bedtime! This will help to clear your mind. If you have worries that re mingling away at you try putting pen to paper to express those as well.

5. Invest in a good quality pillow mist or night time oil for bedtime. These usually contain lavender and other essential oils which can help to improve calmness and sleep. This is something I provide to a lot of my clients who come for reflexology.

6. Try relaxing in a warm bath before bedtime. Don’t have the water too hot and consider using a calming bubble bath or a relaxing blend of essential oils from a qualified aromatherapist to put in the bath.

7. Don’t go on your phone or other electronic devices after 8pm. The blue light emitted by the screen prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone mentioned above, which is vital for a peaceful night’s sleep.

8. Remove your phone/iPads/laptops and other electronic devices from your bedroom. Not only do they emit the blue light mentioned above which affects your hormones, but just having them in the room will mean psychologically you are not switching off.

9. Cut down on your sugar and caffeine intake during the day. Both of these are stimulants for your system and your body will struggle to settle at bedtime if it is full of stimulants.