Sleep strategies

There are lots of things we can do to improve our sleep patterns. 

• First of all we should know roughly how much sleep we should be getting each night? Use the guidelines to set a target somewhere within the hourly range. Remember if you go to if you are getting even just 1 hour less than you should be each night that builds up to missing 7 hours (almost a whole nights sleep) over the course of a week. Over the course of a year this could build up to missing 364 hours of sleep (45 nights sleep!!!). 
• Try to establish a good to a routine. Going to bed at night and waking up each morning at the same time regulates our “body clocks”. This helps our body and brain to function more efficiently, improving energy levels, eating habits and our ability to concentrate.
• Avoid screen time at least 1 hour before going to sleep. Using phones, gaming and even watching the TV before going to sleep can have a negative impact on the type of sleep we have. The glow from electric screens stimulates our brains and can disrupt our body clock, making it harder to get to sleep. 
• Try alternative activities before going to sleep. Reading a book, taking a bath, meditation, breathing exercises or listening to relaxing music are all good ways to prepare us for sleep. 
• Prepare a good environment for sleep.  We sleep better in an environment where it is, dark, quiet, free of clutter and cool. Having a tidy up, dimming the lights and closing the door before we go to sleep are good ways to achieve this.