Whether you struggle to nod off or wake repeatedly during the night, the secret to sleeping more soundly could be as simple as a new bedside lamp or a 99p app.
We asked former insomniacs and sleep experts to share the things that worked for them. Here are their tips for transforming your bedtime routine for the better.
Acupressure mat
I always have my Shaktimat by my bed. It’s an acupressure mat that I got 15 years ago, and I use for napping or if my mind is busy at night and I can’t switch off. It has this strange effect of getting you out of your head and back into your body. It also has therapeutic benefits, so I use it for any aches and pains. I pop it on my mattress, carefully lie my bare skin on top and cover myself with my duvet. Nerina Ramlakhan, physiologist and sleep therapist
Shakti premium acupressure mat, £74
shaktimat.co.uk
SleepSound silicone earplugs
I have just been raving to a mate about some earplugs I have started using when I am sleeping in noisy environments. They are fully bespoke, fit my ears perfectly and are a bit of a gamechanger as I have never got on well with off-the-shelf earplugs, even expensive ones, as they feel uncomfortable when I sleep on my side. James Wilson, AKA The Sleep Geek, sleeping behaviour expert
ACS Custom SleepSound earplugs, £84
acscustom.com
Sleep Time tea
I always make myself a Clipper Organic Sleep Time Tea before bed. I find the warm herbal drink calming and relaxing, and having a routine helps me sleep – regular conditioning sends signals to the brain so that it learns to associate certain activities with getting ready for sleep. Lindsay Browning, sleep expert at Trouble Sleeping and author of Navigating Sleeplessness
Clipper Organic Sleep Time teabags, £3 for 20
waitrose.com
£3.40
sainsburys.co.uk
Loop Quiet earplugs
I’ve had horrific insomnia throughout my life due to undiagnosed ADHD. Things are better now, in part, due to the paraphernalia that makes sleep more comfortable. I like to hermetically seal myself in with Loop Quiet earplugs, which block out all manner of noises, and I have a rotating collection of eye masks from Elizabeth Scarlett and This Is Silk, which block out light. I make up Nancy Birtwhistle’s room freshening spray with lavender oil to give my brain a prod that this is bedtime, and I use a Slumbar knee pillow to stop my joints aching in the night. I do three clues of the Times Quick Cryptic crossword with my husband and that acts as a hypnotic suggestion to get me yawning. Kat Brown, author of It’s Not a Bloody Trend: Understanding Life as an ADHD Adult
Loop Quiet 2 earplugs, £24.95
amazon.co.uk
Eye masks, from £20
elizabethscarlett.com
thisissilk.com
Slumbar knee pillow, £21.99
amazon.co.uk
Daylight lamp
I struggled with sleep after having children and not keeping a regular routine, then I switched to light therapy – exposure to the sun or a controlled artificial light source – and bingo. I now get outside as soon as possible first thing, to get sunlight into my eyes, which is great for sleep and mood. I also have a Sad lamp that I put next to my desk in the morning. I try to keep a 10pm bedtime, lights off by 10.30pm and I sleep well most evenings with a steady 6.30ish wake up. Anna-Louise, Northamptonshire
Portable daylight therapy lamp, £54.99
hollandandbarrett.com
£44.79
amazon.co.uk
Sleep headphones
I struggle to go to sleep without listening to anything, as I keep myself awake with my thoughts. But I used to drive my partner up the wall playing podcasts he didn’t like. I now use a Musicozy, which is a wireless headband with headphones, so I can listen quietly without disturbing him. It’s also super comfy and keeps my head toasty at night. Eve, Nottingham
Musicozy headphones, £20.82
amazon.co.uk
Ashwagandha
A friend who has been experiencing anxiety and stress takes 650mg of ashwagandha, and has been sleeping like a baby. I have ADHD, and chamomile 30 minutes before bedtime really helps with sound sleep. Twinkle, Calgary, Canada
Ashwagandha supplement, £30
bettervits.co.uk
£29.99
amazon.co.uk
Chamomile 2240mg tablets, £13.99 for 60 tablets
healthaid.co.uk
£10.95
amazon.co.uk
Simba mattress
I have always been a bit of a bad sleeper, but I put it down to a fondness for caffeine. A few years ago, I was having a tough time emotionally, which was exacerbated by poor sleep. My brother had bought a Simba mattress for my niece a few months earlier and raved about it. I bought one in the sale, and I can honestly say it has been a revelation. I sleep soundly and usually wake up fully refreshed, which sets me up for the day. It has some sort of thermoregulation system, and I rarely struggle during hot weather. It’s cured me of my lifelong habit of falling asleep on the sofa! Nadia, Reading
Simba cool foam mattress, from £209 for a single
simbasleep.com
CBD sleep drops
I had a bout of insomnia after losing my mum a couple of years ago, and I tried various things to help. OTO CBD sleep drops are the only thing I’ve stuck with. They are expensive, but I take a few drops under my tongue last thing at night and they seem to send me off to sleep more quickly. Polly, London
OTO CBD sleep drops, £69 for 15ml
otowellbeing.com
Audio books
I love an easy-listening audiobook. It makes my mind swim away to another world, away from the stresses of real life – 45-year-old mum of one working three jobs! My go-to on Audible is always Harry Potter read by Stephen Fry. Claire, Hemel Hempstead
Harry Potter audio books, £17.99
audible.co.uk
Mind games
I’ve finally got control of my racing brain by telling myself, “3am is not the time to solve that problem.” I then think of a series of random words to stop the thoughts popping back into my conscious mind. I started doing it as a variation on counting sheep as it occupies my brain just enough to keep the catastrophising thoughts out but not enough to keep me awake. Andreina, Bournemouth
Magnesium
Magnesium tablets a couple of hours before bed, then magnesium cream on my feet and legs, followed by 20 minutes on an acupressure mat does the trick for me. I come straight off my mat then into bed for a deep, restful sleep. I always used to sleep well until perimenopause and now menopause, which left me unable to get anywhere near a full night’s sleep. With this routine, I’m getting up to eight hours sleep again. Barbara, Birmingham
Magnesium tablets, £5.79 for 60
boots.com
£5.95
vitabiotics.com
White noise app
I absolutely need my white noise app to get to sleep. I had bought a device that you get for babies, but the phone app works just as well and it’s one less thing to charge. Jennifer, Brussels
White noise app, 99p
apple.com
Re:sleep programme
I had a chronic sleep problem and did the Re:Sleep programme (it used to be called the Sleepyhead programme), and it was brilliant. It’s CBT for sleep, where you follow rules such as getting up at the same time every day and leaving the bedroom when you can’t sleep. After that you do a thing called sleep scheduling, which tackles broken sleep by getting you to go to bed later and getting up earlier than you would normally, with no napping allowed. It’s hard going but it absolutely works, and I now get seven hours of unbroken sleep a night. Fiona, Brighton
Re:sleep sleep training, £299 for a six-month plan
re-sleep.com
Sleepeaze
I occasionally use Sleepeaze, an antihistamine. I take one 50mg tablet 20 minutes before bed and it just gives me a deeper sleep, meaning I’m more refreshed the following morning. Natalie, Manchester
Boots Sleepeaze 50 mg, £5.79 for 20 tablets
boots.com
Blue light-blocking glasses
Although my general sleep hygiene is good, I’ve found these to be an absolute gamechanger, especially in winter. If I was doing computer work a few hours before bedtime I would struggle to sleep, but when I use these from dusk in winter or from about 8.30pm in summer it really makes a difference. Plus, they make me look more intelligent. Niki, Leeds
Cyxus blue light blocking glasses, £19.99
amazon.co.uk
Avena Sativa
I take 30 drops of the homeopathic Avena Sativa tincture in warm water before bed. It’s essentially just diluted oats and it’s very calming and soothing. Annette, Kuala Lumpur
Baldwins Avena Sativa tincture, from £7.35
baldwins.co.uk
Alphabetical lists
I started using a technique recommended to me that apparently is used in the army. You think of a letter of the alphabet, and then think of random things beginning with that letter. You may want to think of as many as possible or prefer to move on to another letter. It’s said to be similar to the way the brain works in REM sleep and works a treat. Karina, Sheffield
