How to get a good night's sleep if coronavirus is keeping you awake at night

  • By ITV West Country Presenter Kylie Pentelow

  • Update: You can find Kylie's podcast on getting a better night's sleep here.

I've been among those finding it difficult to fall asleep and then waking up regularly, often after suffering anxiety dreams.

To get some practical advice on how to cope I've interviewed sleep expert Christabel Majendie.

Christabel says there are number of factors that may be contributing to sleepless nights.

People are having to adjust to working from home, having their children around and are dealing with the uncertainty of how long this current situation is going to go on.

Watch Kylie's interview with Christabel below:

Her advice - try to get outside for at least 30 minutes in the morning. That's the best light you can get, even on a cloudy day.

Christabel recommends a morning walk. Credit: PA

And that's another issue. With people trying to stay connected and keep in touch with family and friends, many of us are spending more time on our devices.

"Those activities are quite stimulating for your brain so it's really important to have a wind down relaxation period in the hour or two before bed," Christabel explains.

"That might be reading or watching TV - as long as the TV is a couple of meters away from your face."

So that means no tablet to watch in bed!

Tips on how to improve your sleep

  • Try to get outside for at least 30 minutes, ideally in the morning

  • Avoid screens one to two hours before bed

  • Don't check your phone during the night. Ideally leave it outside the bedroom

  • If you're working from home, try to set up your work station close to a window

  • Try not to work in the bedroom - you don't want to associate the bedroom with working

  • Try to avoid alcohol

Avoid using technology before going to bed. Credit: PA

Christabel also has a radical solution to make sure you're not tempted to look at your phone during the night - turn it off and leave it outside the room.

"Don't even check the time in the night," she says. "When you look at the time, that's unhelpful.

"Some of my clients put their alarm outside the door so they're not looking at it through the night, but when it goes off they have to get out of bed."

There are also reports of people having more anxiety dreams and nightmares due to the uncertainty with the coronavirus.

Christabel recommends trying not to worry about sleeping. Credit: PA

As well as all the advice, Christabel says the key for getting a good night's sleep though is to try not to worry.

"It can turn into a bit of a vicious cycle because if you're not sleeping you feel a bit grumpy and then also you're a bit preoccupied with the fact you haven't slept and you start thinking about not sleeping the next night," she says.

"Then those thoughts are quite unhelpful and might contribute towards you not sleeping."

Coronavirus: Everything you need to know