Hands up if you’re always feeling tired and struggle to get a good night’s rest.
Increasing numbers of us are finding it hard to rise and shine after sleep problems exploded during the pandemic.
In fact, research has found more than a third of us feel sleep-deprived pretty much all the time.
But if your energy levels are flat-lining, don’t panic - because improving sleep may be easier than you think.
Here, our experts explain the real reasons we’re finding it difficult to drop off and explain how to tackle them.
1. Sleep stealer: Clock watching
“Constantly checking the time can have a detrimental impact on sleep,” says Lisa Artis, of The Sleep Charity (thesleepcharity.org.uk).
“It creates a cycle of anxiety. Waking at 2am and realising you’ve only got five hours left to sleep, then waking at 4am and calculating there are three hours until the alarm goes off, will make you stressed and reduce your chances of dropping off.”
- Fix it: Avoid the temptation to check the time, even if you get up in the night for the loo. “You don’t need to know,” says Lisa. “Ideally, remove clocks from the bedroom and leave your phone on the landing, or cover the screen before going to bed.”
2. Sleep stealer: Eating late
Eating a late, heavy or spicy dinner can mean your body is too busy digesting to switch into sleep mode.
It also increases the risk of heartburn and indigestion, further disturbing your slumber, warns Professor Rose Anne Kenny, author of Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life (Lagom, £20).
- Fix it: Eat earlier, and ensure dinner is finished by 8pm. If you find yourself hungry close to bedtime, have a small snack, choosing foods that enhance production of the sleep hormone melatonin, suggests Prof Kenny. “Choose from almonds, turkey, kiwi, cherry juice, milk, bananas, porridge or cottage cheese.”
3. Sleep stealer: Too much to do
“Many of us are guilty of trying to cram so much into our days that sleep gets pushed further down the priority list,” says Lisa. “But sleep is the bedrock of everything, from energy levels and concentration to good health.
“Inadequate shuteye impacts your entire life.”
- Fix it: Think carefully before taking short-cuts with your sleep, such as getting up an hour earlier to exercise, warns Lisa. You will risk an ongoing battle against your body clock that might lead to long-term sleep problems. “Being properly rested means you’re clear-headed, focused and patient. Ultimately you’re actually more productive than if you try to cram more into the working day by forgoing sleep.”
4. Sleep stealer: Nighttime light
“The production of melatonin increases in darkness and is disrupted by natural and artificial light,” explains Lisa.
Bathroom lights are the harshest in your house, but street lights, the TV standby LED, the notification light on a smartphone and digital alarm clocks can all keep you up.
Blue light from electronic devices also impacts sleep, and the longer the exposure before sleep, the greater the impact.
Studies show that email-checking has the most noticeable effect.
- Fix it: Eliminate light in the bedroom wherever possible, suggests Lisa. Fit blackout blinds or hang heavy lined curtains to block outside light. If you have a TV in your room, switch it off at the mains, along with all other technology, and treat yourself to an eyemask. To combat the effect of blue light, keep gadgets such as phones away from your bed and read a book rather than using an e-reader.
5. Sleep stealer: Boozy nightcap
While alcohol may relax you, it’s actually a major sleep saboteur.
Booze can help us drift off quickly, but it also disturbs the body’s REM stage of sleep.
And since it’s a diuretic, it triggers night-time trips to the bathroom too.
- Fix it: Don’t drink past 8pm, as it takes one hour to process one unit of alcohol. Then wait at least two hours before bed. Drink chamomile tea, which contains an antioxidant that induces sleepiness.
6. Sleep stealer: Messy bedroom
Researchers at St Lawrence University, New York, found that people who were hoarders had more problems with sleep than those who had tidier bedrooms.
They took longer to fall asleep, were more likely to suffer disturbed rest and were more tired in the daytime.
- Fix it: Your bedroom should be a sanctuary, somewhere that you can safely go to switch off and relax, says Lisa. “Don’t use it as a dumping ground for the rest of the house. Put laundry away, move any paperwork into another room and tidy up.”
7. Sleep stealer: Evening exercise
While regular activity can make an enormous difference to how well you sleep, working out in the evening can be disruptive.
That’s because it revs the body up, just at the time you need it to calm down.
Even a fast walk later on in the evening can impede sleep as it alerts the sympathetic system, which triggers our fight or flight response.
What’s more, it increases our core temperature, making it far harder for the mind and body to switch into deep-sleep mode.
- Fix it: Keep vigorous exercise to earlier in the day. Studies suggest that morning workouts are best for good sleep. Try some gentle yoga moves and stretching exercises rather than a HIIT workout in the evening.
8. Sleep stealer: Your furry friend
For some people, sharing their bed with a pet makes them feel more secure. However, for many, sleep is disrupted, says Lisa.
“Pets can rouse you for a number of reasons: night-time wandering, needing to go outside, barking, meowing, snuffling, grunting, purring, twitching – even snoring.”
They’re also not the most hygienic of bedfellows.
And, like new mothers with babies, you’re on alert and react to movements around you, waking when they stir.
- Fix it: If your pet is disturbing your sleep, try putting a comfy bed for them on the landing or just outside your door.
9. Sleep stealer: Early bedtime
When you’re struggling with poor sleep, an early night might seem like the best way to try to catch up.
However, research from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that spending too much time in bed can be counterproductive.
Indeed, scientists claim that 70-80% of people can cure their sleeping problems by spending less time in bed.
- Fix it: Wake at the same time every day, regardless of the time you went to bed. This will help to reset the body’s biological clock, aiding regular sleep patterns. Immediate exposure to natural light is also essential. Get outside for a morning walk or stroll around your garden with a cuppa. “This will help regulate the body’s sleep/wake cycle, making it a lot easier for you to sleep at night,” says Lisa.
Sleep stealer: The wrong mattress
There is not much point using lavender pillow spray, drinking milky drinks and having a warm bath to relax before bed if your unsupportive mattress creaks, groans and sags in the middle.
A survey of 2,000 people by Dreams revealed that a third of people have had the same mattress for more than eight years – while 5% of people have kept their mattress for 15 years.
- Fix it: Upgrade your mattress if you need to. Do your research and don’t be afraid to ask for a trial – most mattress suppliers will do this for you. At the very least, you should rotate it monthly. And never underestimate the importance of replacing pillows regularly and using fresh, clean, bedding, adds Lisa.
10. Sleep stealer: Messy bedroom
Researchers at St Lawrence University, New York, found that people who were hoarders had more problems with sleep than those who had tidier bedrooms.
They took longer to fall asleep, were more likely to suffer disturbed rest and were more tired in the daytime.
- Fix it: Your bedroom should be a sanctuary, somewhere that you can safely go to switch off and relax, says Lisa. “Don’t use it as a dumping ground for the rest of the house. Put laundry away, move any paperwork into another room and tidy up.”
