Follow these eight easy steps to help guarantee you get a great night’s sleep every night
Whether you're struggling to nod off or are always hitting the snooze button come morning, we’ve found the solutions to make sure you never have a bad night’s sleep again
For some of us, deep slumber is so elusive that we can’t actually remember what it feels like to wake up from eight hours of restful sleep.
If this rings true for you, don’t worry as you’re not alone. According to the University of Hertfordshire, almost six in 10 of us are sleep-deprived – that’s a whopping 28 million adults in the UK getting seven hours or less sleep each night – up from under 40% in 2013. But apart from feeling knackered, why is sleeping poorly so bad for us?
“Not sleeping enough not only leads to stress and anxiety, but in the long-term it can leave you prone to high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and diabetes, and a weaker immune system,” explains Simba mattress’ sleep psychologist Hope Bastine.
Embrace your plant power
Keeping plants in your bedroom looks pretty, but also boosts the oxygen in the air to help purify it. Studies have found that the cleaner the air, the better the quality of shut-eye achieved.* So what’s the best greenery to invest in? One study found that English ivy can reduce mould in the air by an impressive 78.5%.** Mother-in-law's tongue, jasmine and aloe vera all work well, too.
“As they have great toxin-removing qualities, you’ll also breathe easier and enjoy a more restful sleep, especially if you’re allergic to dust or have asthma,” says Hope.
Plus, our rooms need to be between 16-18°C for optimal sleep conditions. “This temperature not only encourages a deeper sleep, but also maintains a calmer state of mind,” explains Hope. And by boosting air circulation, plants in turn help moderate room temperature, too. Clever!
Change your light bulbs
Blue light (from electric devices such as phones and computer screens) can disrupt your body's production of sleep hormone melatonin – making it harder for you to fall asleep. But your overhead light bulbs at home aren’t much better, either.
Fancy LED lights, halogen blubs and compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs) all emit high levels of sleep-damaging blue light. CFBs – which we’re encouraged to use due to their energy efficiency – are the worst offenders and should definitely be kept out of the bedroom. Instead, choose amber or red bulbs.
“Amber is on the opposite side of the light spectrum and sends signals to your brain that it is sunset, activating the release of melatonin,” says Nina Ryner, founder of ChromaYoga – which combines light and colour therapy with yoga.
And if you’re out late at night, try channelling your inner Mariah Carey and don sunnies on your journey home. This can help decrease the amount of disruptive, external blue light from street lamps and train lighting, too.
ENGAGE YOUR RIGHT BRAIN
The more alpha waves in your brain, the more relaxed you’ll be when it comes to falling asleep.
To increase these you need to engage the right side of your brain, which is responsible for creativity. So try an activity such as colouring in, writing a diary, playing an instrument, listening to relaxing music or reading a novel before bed.
Create Rituals
Just like you knew bedtime was coming once your parents bathed you and read you a story when you were younger, it seems that having similar cues now we’re adults can help lull us to sleep.
“Rituals consciously and subconsciously coax your mind and body into an experience,” says Hope. “Studies have also found that having a ritual heightens the pleasure of an experience – so doing this pre-sleep can not only ensure your mind and body is ready for bed, but that you look forward to it, too.”
To enjoy going to bed, you need to make sure that you carry out your rituals at the same time each night and have a certain number of stages – three is the optimal amount – which is why simply putting on your pyjamas isn’t enough to make you sleepy. And while you should start your ritual – be that lighting a candle, having a bath, reading a book or listening to music – an hour or two before bed, there are some things you need to think about even before then.
“Caffeine stays in your system for at least six hours and up to 12 if you’re sensitive, so plan your last tea or coffee with that in mind,” says Hope. “Plus, dinner should be finished two hours before you plan to go to sleep so there is time for your body to digest. And avoid spicy foods, which – like caffeine – are stimulants.”
Eat yourself sleepy
Yep, certain foods can really help you nod off that bit easier. Top of the list are those that are high in tryptophan. As your body can’t make this sleep-enhancing amino acid itself, you need to get it from food. Find it in chicken, prawns, chickpeas, turkey and eggs.
Once you’ve got the tryptophan in your system, give your body a helping hand in using it by knocking back some calcium-rich foods. Why? Calcium helps the brain use tryptophan to produce sleep-inducing melatonin. If you’re dairy-free, green leafy veg including kale, spinach and broccoli are all high in calcium, too.
While your body naturally makes melatonin, nutritionist Lily Soutter says: “Walnuts are one of the few foods that boast their own source of melatonin and are a good source of tryptophan. That means eating them may help you fall asleep faster.”
Plus, it’s important to make sure you’re feasting on foods that are high in vitamin B6. “This is also needed to make melatonin,” says Lily. “Salmon, tuna and halibut, as well as pistachios and raw garlic are all high in B6.” Though munch on raw garlic and no one may want to sleep next to you…
Get covered
Whether it’s street lighting seeping into your bedroom or you have a clock emitting a blue light, keep it all out with an eye mask. Just as daylight tells your brain to stay awake, darkness tells it to produce more melatonin for sleep. We love the Iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Eye Mask, £25, which also has copper oxide woven in to help treat any wrinkles around the eyes. #Doublewin.
Count it
Not sure exactly how many hours of sleep you get? Then it’s worth investing in a wellbeing tracker such as Fitbit Alta HR, £99. Not only will it tell you how long you’ve kipped for, but also how much of it was deep sleep and when you were awake.
WE’LL DRINK TO THAT!
While alcohol can disrupt sleep, researchers at the University of Milan found that a glass of red could help you nod off.
Grape skins – which are removed when making white wine – are packed with sleep-inducing melatonin. Pour yourself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chianti, as these are especially rich in melatonin. Or just stock up on red grapes if you're not a wine drinker.
Get the right kit
You wouldn’t run in worn-out trainers, so why do so many of us sleep on poor mattresses?
Although experts recommend we change our mattress every eight years, 50% of us don’t.*** But considering that a study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found new, medium-firm beds increased sleep quality, now’s the time to invest in a new one.
How do you know if you need to change yours? “It should provide you with enough support so that you have the same alignment you’d have when standing with good posture,” says Hope.
And according to the National Bed Federation (NBF), size matters – especially for couples.
“Many people don’t realise that a standard double bed is 4ft 6in wide, which gives each person just 2ft 3in of space if sharing – that’s less than a baby has in a cot,” says Simon Williams, NBF marketing manager. Plus, with the average person tossing and turning about 70 times a night, buying the biggest bed you can afford and fit will help you sleep better.
We like the Simba Hybrid – £599 for a double – which has memory foam to mould around your body and 2,500 springs that move both vertically and horizontally to offer the ultimate support.
As for your sheets, those luxury, high thread counts are not the best way to get a good night’s kip. The higher the thread count, the less breathable the material and the hotter it’ll make you – and being too warm is often a reason many of us wake up. Instead, go for a jersey knitted sheet – such as the Bella Donna sheet, from £45 – as it allows air to flow freely through it and wicks moisture away to keep you cool throughout the night.
Turn on your parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS)
“The what?!” we hear you cry. The PSNS is the opposite of the flight or fight reaction – it’s your body’s rest and relax mechanism. Activating this can help you unwind, preparing you for sleep.
While cardio should be avoided before bed as it raises body temperature and heart rate, yoga – which taps into your PSNS – and weight training, which triggers the release of the human growth hormone (to heal, repair and help us fall into deep sleep), are both sleep promoters.
But it’s yin yoga in particular that you really need. This slow-paced style that involves holding each pose for 3-5 minutes is so powerful in helping you get to sleep that doing it for an hour can greatly increase levels of GABA amino acid. This moderates mood and anxiety levels, giving you that post-workout calm – perfect for sleep.
Don’t fancy going to class before bedtime? No worries, yin yoga teacher at ChromaYoga studio Clara Baker reveals her top poses for turning on the parasympathetic nervous system: