How to get the perfect night's sleep
It’s the most natural thing in the world - so why do two thirds of us suffer from disrupted sleep?
From high tech trackers to rigorous routines, many of us struggling to adjust to the shorter days and colder nights will try anything to get the ‘perfect’ night’s sleep - but what actually works?
The ‘Sleep Geek’ James Wilson is here to tell us what we should and shouldn’t be doing in order to get the right amount of rest. He’ll also be answering your questions when we open the doors to our This Morning Sleep Clinic.
James' top tips for a better night's sleep
James has a number of top tips to help train your body and allow you to get a better nights sleep.
Lower your heart rate before bed. Do things that are relaxing such as cuddling with your partner, reading a book or watching funny tv. Meditation apps will also help as well as ASMR videos. Having a bath or a shower before bed will lower your core temperature.
If you can’t sleep after 30 minutes, get up and start again. Usually walking around the house or listening to a podcast or the radio works. Nothing too active.
Don’t have excessive lie-ins on the weekends. An extra hour, hour and a half will benefit you better. If you have a nap in the afternoon, try to limit yourself to 30 minutes. A three or four hour nap isn’t a nap, it’s stealing sleep for later on.
Stop worrying. The more you worry about little things, especially about how tired you are, the worse you’ll make it.
If you can, work from home. If your work allows you to be flexible, try and work from home so that you can get that extra hour in bed. Before you start working and after working, try and go for a walk so that your body feels the consistency as if you are at work. Expose yourself to more light in the morning.