Struggling to SLEEP?

Snuggle up with these expert tips for a restful slumber this chilly season

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BREATHE BETTER

Instead of clock-watching, try holistic health and wellbeing expert Rophin Vianney’s (chakrabalance.co.uk) box breathing exercise to reduce insomnia-related anxiety and encourage rest. The best part is, you can do it from the comfort of your bed. Here’s what to do…

1 Take a couple of slow, deep breaths.

2 Inhale through your belly, ribs and lungs, counting 1, 2, 3.

3 Hold and engage your pelvic floor, and count 1, 2, 3.

4 Slowly exhale, this time counting backwards: 3, 2, 1.

5 Hold your breath at the bottom of your exhale counting 3, 2, 1.

6 Repeat, tuning in to the sound of your breath. Imagine each inhale, hold, or exhale as a line that you draw to form the shape of a box.

Rophin says you’ll eventually drop off because the relaxation technique removes any stressful feelings associated with sleeplessness. For more of Rophin’s calming tricks, go to Facebook.com/womanmagazine

Do you struggle to nod off at night? Or maybe you wake in the early hours feeling anxious? If so, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that almost 50%* of Brits are affected by sleeplessness at some point, which can be due to poor sleep environments, bad habits or even hormones. Plus, if you’re recovering from overindulgence during the holidays or you’re experiencing post-Christmas stress, these are all factors that can keep you up at night. Here, our experts give us the lowdown on how to stop the winter from wreaking havoc with your sleep.

You can be too warm