Top 5 tips for your best night's sleep

1. Go to bed and wake up at a consistent time 

Going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day, and aiming for 7-9 hours worth of shut-eye, reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle and promotes better sleep quality. Being consistent with your sleep-wake schedule helps your body produce the right hormones at the right time of day. If you go to sleep at 10pm every night your body will start producing sleep hormones just before this so you can drift off easier, making it easier to get the rest you need and wake up naturally 

2. Create the best sleep environment  

Making small improvements to your bedroom can make all the difference to your quality of sleep. Keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet ensures a good night’s rest. If outside noise is preventing you from getting the sleep you need, then try earplugs or masking it with a sound machine or fan 

3. Enjoy a relaxing bath or shower 

Enjoying a warm bath or shower, about 90 minutes before bed, is another way to help you relax and sleep better. Just avoid taking a bath too close to bedtime as your body will not have enough time to cool down, which is what’s required to help you drift off. 

4. Pay attention to what you eat and drink  

Going to bed on a full stomach or drinking caffeine before you climb under the covers, negatively impacts sleep quality and leaves you feeling groggy the next day. Alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle and sleep is less restorative too, while caffeine has a stimulant effect, making it more difficult to fall asleep.  

5. Exercise regularly  

As well as boosting your mental and physical health, exercise is also a great way to help you get the sleep you need. Moderate exercise on a regular basis, as long as it’s not done too close to bed, can help you to fall asleep faster, prolongs the time spent sleeping and improves the quality of your sleep.