Easy tricks for your BEST SLEEP

Supercharge your shut-eye and make the most of the run-up to Christmas

- TANYA PEAREY

Tossing and turning each night because you find it difficult to switch off? Or do wake up in the early hours unable to get back to sleep? You’re not alone. Recent research suggests sleep problems have increased during the COVID pandemic as people become more anxious. A study by King’s College London found that two-thirds of us suffered from sleep problems during lockdown.

If you’ve been struggling with insomnia for months and self-help methods haven’t worked, then speak to your GP says Dr Daniel Cichi, senior GP from website Doctor 4 U. ‘They can assess whether there are any underlying issues that are causing sleep problems. Whether it’s breathing or mental health problems, or certain medications that you’re taking, your GP will be able to determine the cause so that you get the most appropriate treatment.’

But the majority of sleep problems can be helped by some simple changes to lifestyle and routine. Here’s what you need to know…

Stick to a routine

Key to establishing a good sleeping pattern is routine. Try to stick to the same going-to-bed and getting-up time each day. Sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley recommends trying to find out your ‘natural’ waking-up time and going with that if possible. ‘An alarm clock startles us from our sleep, which causes both an increase in our heart rate and blood pressure, as well as our stress levels,’ he says.