A new survey suggests 20pc of people struggle to drop off on a night - taking up to three hours to finally fall asleep. According to the research, those who read before bed are likely to fall asleep quickest.
Sleep expert Dr Daisy Mae teamed up with Get Laid Beds, which carried out the survey, to reveal some lesser known methods which might help those struggling to get their eight hours. And some may surprise you.
Force yourself to stay awake
"There is actually a phrase to describe this, which is ‘paradoxical intention’, which is where you challenge yourself to stay awake, which tricks the mind into falling asleep," said Dr Mae. "All you need to do is lay in bed, keep your eyes open as much as you can and repeat the phrases ‘do not fall asleep’ or ‘I'll not fall asleep’. Your eye muscles should tire quickly, and hopefully you’ll be asleep in no time.”
The 4-7-8 breathing method
“To do this, you need to put your tongue to the roof of your mouth for the whole exercise, just behind your teeth," said Dr Mae. "Then, exhale through your mouth - it probably will make a bit of a weird noise, but roll with it.
"Then, close your mouth and inhale through your nose for four seconds. Then, hold your breath for seven seconds.
"Now that the 4-7 are both done, we’re onto the ‘8’. Exhale through your mouth, making another weird sound, for eight seconds. Repeat this until you’re fast asleep.”
Go through your day… but backwards
“Run through what your day consisted of while you lay in bed, but do it starting from getting into bed in the evening, to waking up first thing that morning," said Dr Mae. "Do everything in reverse order. This will keep your mind clear of any worries, and it will be a bit more challenging and mundane than running through your day in the right order.”
