How To Get A Good Night's Sleep: Wear Socks And Avoid Alcohol Before Bed, Report Advises

If you want to get a good night’s sleep you should consider wearing bed-socks and avoiding alcohol to help you nod off.

That’s according to a new report, which states that being sufficiently rested is essential to maintaining a healthy brain and staying mentally sharp in later life.

The report, conducted by the Global Council on Brain Health offers tips to help over 50s get to sleep, but the advice could be helpful whatever your age.

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The report was conducted as part of a joint initiative by Age UK and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) into improving sleep for the elderly.

According to the research, sleeping well becomes harder as we age. Our sleep patterns change, so we become more vulnerable to waking up during the night and earlier in the morning.

Feeling sluggish and under the weather is a common experience if we don’t sleep well, but there is less awareness of the fact that those of us who have chronic, inadequate sleep on a regular basis are at higher risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, fall-related injuries and cancer.

The report offers the following tips on how to improve your sleep quality:

Get up at the same time every day
Expose yourself to natural sunlight during the daytime
Don’t drink alcohol to help you to sleep
Try and eat dinner approximately three hours before going to bed
Don’t drink coffee (caffeine) after lunch time
Don’t look at an electronic screen of any kind after you get into bed - tablet, phone, laptop
Avoid using over the counter sleep preparations
Wear socks to keep your feet warm in bed
Don’t sleep with pets in the bedroom
Avoid arguments with spouse or partner before going to bed
Limit afternoon naps to less than 30 minutes

Commenting on the report, James Goodwin, chief scientist at Age UK, said: “Sleeping is something we all tend to take for granted, but we really have to wise up to the fact that getting the right amount of good sleep is crucial as we age, helping to protect us from all kinds of problems that can affect our brains as well as our bodies.”

Disturbances to sleep in older age can be environmental, such as the temperature of a bedroom, or related to lifestyle factors such as eating late or taking certain medications,’ the report explains.

Sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea are also more common in later life and ‘deep sleep’ decreases in adults between the ages of 30 to 60.

Sleep Hacks You Need To Know About

Cool Down With A Warm Bath(01 of05)

Taking a relaxing warm bath is the oldest sleep tip in the book. But while it might sound counterintuitive, it’s not so much the toasty-warm feeling that helps to send you off into the land of nod but rather the sudden drop in body temperature that occurs when you leave the bath.

This temperature decline mimics the natural drop in body temperature that occurs during the evening as we move towards sleep, thus acting as a cue for relaxation.

One study of elderly people found that those who had a warm bath before bedtime reported falling asleep faster and more soundly. And don’t worry if you don’t have time for a luxurious soak, a hot shower will have a similar effect. (credit:John Lund/Marc Romanelli via Getty Images)

Wear Bed Socks(02 of05)

They might not be the sexiest bedtime attire but wearing socks could be your key to falling asleep more quickly.

A study at the Sleep Laboratory in Basel, Switzerland, published in the journal 'Nature', found that as we approach the threshold of sleep, the body’s temperature regulation system redistributes heat from your core to your extremities. Having cold feet demands more from this system and upsets the natural release of melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep onset.

Chartered physiotherapist and author of The Good Sleep Guide, Sammy Margo concurs: “You won’t get a good night’s sleep if your feet are too cold,” she says. To avoid the opposite effect (overheating in the night), she recommends investing in cashmere as this has natural heat regulating properties. (credit:Laura Ascari via Getty Images)

Turn Up The Noise(03 of05)

Earplugs are great for blocking out noise – ideal if you live in a city or an apartment block. But for those who find them uncomfortable to wear, an alternative option is to introduce a constant ambient sound, or ‘white’ noise, into your bedroom.

Research shows this masks potentially disruptive sounds by reducing the difference between background noise and ‘peak’ noise, such as slamming doors.

There are plenty of white noise apps available – or, if you prefer to switch off all your electronic devices before bedtime (and, quite frankly, you should), you could invest in a white noise machine. (credit:Jaykayl via Getty Images)

Park Your Problems(04 of05)

If worrying about work or problems in your personal life prevents you from drifting off into the land of nod – or getting back to sleep when you wake in the night – jotting down some potential solutions in a notebook before you hit the sack could be the key to a stress-free sleep.

A study published in 'Behavioural Sleep Medicine' split volunteers, all with reported insomnia, into two groups. Before going to bed, one group recorded possible solutions to their worries while the second group recorded their worries and completed worry questionnaires. The group that recorded solutions had reduced pre-sleep cognitive arousal (read: whirring mind). (credit:CZQS2000 / STS via Getty Images)

Fake Daylight(05 of05)

“Sunlight helps the body's internal biological clock to reset itself each day so if possible, wake up with the sun,” says Jade Wells, Senior Physiologist at Nuffield Health.

Of course, that’s easier said than done in the dark depths of the British winter. As an alternative, she suggests: “Use very bright lights in the morning. There are even alarm clocks that mimic the effect of the rise, rising to wake you up gently every day.”

The Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 Wake Up to Daylight Light helps to regulate your sleep/wake cycle and combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), waking you with a gradually brightening 30-minute sunrise so when you open your eyes you feel awake and refreshed. (credit:lzf via Getty Images)