Struggling to get to sleep?

Nothing is more frustrating than lying in bed and struggling to get to sleep. You may feel extremely tired but for some reason, you simply cannot get to sleep. It is even more annoying when you know you need to be up early in the morning. There are recommendations for how much sleep is healthy for a person dependent on age range. For teenagers, the recommended sleep time is 8-10 hours. For adults aged 18 or over the recommendation is 7-9 hours. 

If you are struggling to get to sleep here are some top tips to help you get a good night’s sleep.

• Try to go to bed at the same time each night to help your body settle into a routine. 
• Avoid screen time just before going to sleep. This means you should not be using your phone, tablet, laptop or television just before you go to sleep. Ideally, you should stop using these devices for at least an hour before you go to bed. 
• If need to keep your phone switched on during the night, switch off notifications so that you will not be disturbed by your phone suddenly lighting up or making a noise. 
• Consider having your window open slightly to let some fresh air in. 
• Ensure your bedroom is at a comfortable temperature.  
• Switch off the light. If you like to have a little bit of light, purchase a night light or keep the curtains open to let some natural light in. 
• Alternatively, if you prefer complete darkness consider purchasing some blackout curtains. 
• Do some deep breathing. 
• Avoid naps during the day. I know having a nap during the day is tempting however this can have a negative impact on nighttime sleeping patterns 
• Do some exercise during the day. 
• Avoid high-carb foods before bedtime. If you like a snack before bed make sure this is something light and healthy. You should also avoid drinking caffeine just before bedtime. 
• Have a hot bath before bedtime. This will cool you down so your body will think it is time to go to sleep. A drop in temperature is a signal to your body that it is sleep time. 
• Make sure you are comfortable. I know this sounds obvious but you are much more likely to get to sleep if you are in a comfortable sleeping position. 

If you are still struggling to fall asleep, for some people the best thing to do is actually to get up for a while. This helps you to get out of the mindset of worrying about not getting to sleep. If you have a chair or somewhere else to sit in your bedroom you can sit there or if not you may wish to consider heading to the living room (just be careful not to disturb anyone else in the house). However, do not consider watching TV for a bit or using a phone/tablet/laptop as staring at a screen will not help. Instead, you could read a book/magazine, complete a puzzle, listen to some music or simply sit and relax for 10-20 minutes. 

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