Many Brits are plagued by sleepless nights due to stress and noisy neighbours, a survey by Lenor has revealed.
Research revealed that 92% of Brits have trouble sleeping, with 62% blaming the stress of day-to-day life and 42% complaining of noisy neighbours.
With this in mind, renowned sleep expert and author of 'The Good Sleep Guide', Sammy Margo, shared her top tips on getting those all-important forty winks.
“Sleep quality has a huge effect on how we function throughout the day, both in terms of mood and energy levels," she explained. "People underestimate how important it is to ensure that the bedroom environment is just right for a good night's sleep."
Ten Sleep Tips For 2013
Bedtime routine(01 of10)
Open Image ModalBuild time into your day for a bedtime routine-we are more like dimmer switches than ‘on-off switches’ so we need time to unwind. This may include a warm bath, a hot milky drink/chamomile tea and listening to some relaxing music or an audio book. (credit:Alamy)
Pull your socks up(02 of10)
Open Image ModalWear socks to bed. Cold feet = a poor night's sleep. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body and studies have shown that wearing socks reduces night awakenings. (credit:Alamy)
Use sunlight to set your body clock(03 of10)
Open Image ModalAs soon as you get up in the morning, go outside and get some fresh air for 10 minutes. The bright sunlight (or any bright light) tells your body’s natural biological clock that it’s time to wake up and that same clock will then be set to tell your body it’s time to go to sleep about 14-16 hours later. (credit:Alamy)
Keep regular(04 of10)
Open Image ModalDon't change your bedtime. You should go to bed and wake up at about the same time each day, even on the weekends! This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning. (credit:Alamy)
Bed linen(05 of10)
Open Image ModalChange your bedding once a week and dust regularly. Fresh crisp sheets will help you get a better night’s sleep and clearing excess dust can help minimise any irritation in the airways, which could disrupt sleep. Review your bed linen for a better night’s sleep and choose sheets that feel comfortable against your skin. Research carried out by Lenor has shown that 74% of people surveyed slept drastically better on freshly washed bed sheets. (credit:Alamy)
Stay cool(06 of10)
Open Image ModalIf you're too warm it can lead to a fitful night's sleep. Your body works hard to regulate your temperature while you're asleep, so help it along with cool, breathable cottons and keep the room cool at 16-18 degrees centigrade. If you share your bed and like different temperatures consider buying two separate duvets. (credit:Alamy)
Exercise to sleep(07 of10)
Open Image ModalRegular exercisers have better quality sleep. Aerobic exercise in particular has a significant impact on sleep particularly when it’s done in daylight so try to integrate exercise into your life by moving throughout the day eg getting off the bus one stop early, taking a walk in your lunch break etc. (credit:Alamy)
Set yourself a technology cut off time(08 of10)
Open Image ModalComputers, mobiles, smart phones and TVs all over stimulate our minds and ruin sleep, so try to turn them off at around 9pm. Where possible keep them out of the bedroom. (credit:Alamy)
Room and bed sheet fragrance(09 of10)
Open Image ModalFragrances can set the tone of the room and generate a calming effect which will induce better quality deep sleep leaving you more rested, energetic and alert the next morning. Filling the bedroom with lavender or chamomile scents around an hour before bedtime will create the proper atmosphere for relaxation, sleep or romance. Try washing your sheets in fragrant Lenor fabric softener or alternatively place a few drops of relaxing aromatherapy oils on your pillow. (credit:Alamy)
Lights out(10 of10)
Open Image ModalSleep in complete darkness or as close to that as you can. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. As soon as you turn on the light, your body will immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin which regulates the sleep-wake cycle. (credit:Alamy)