FROM eating kiwis to wearing socks to bed, there are endless lifestyle hacks and products that may or may not help us get to sleep.
It’s a booming area of scientific interest, and with good reason, as many of us just can’t drift off.
According to The Sleep Charity, 40 per cent of adults suffer poor sleep, and 43 per cent say stress is the main factor.
So on World Sleep Day (March 14), we answer the burning questions: what really improves your kip and what’s a waste of time?
Dr Neil Stanley, who has been studying sleep for more than 40 years, tells Sun Health: “Many of us suffer from poor sleep and there are many different things that are claimed to solve the problem.
“Some of them are based on good science and others have little evidence to support their use.”
Essentially you just need three things to get good sleep, he says.
“There is no magic way to sleep; we all have to find things that help us relax our own bodies and minds,” Dr Stanley says.
“But a bedroom conducive to sleep, so dark, quiet, cool and comfortable; a relaxed body; and most importantly, a quiet mind will all help.”
If you’re desperate for a solid eight hours, here is our A to Z sleep guide covering all the latest expert tips.
ALCOHOL
WHILE a night cap might seem tempting, alcohol should be avoided if you want to get eight uninterrupted hours.
Numerous studies have found that yes, drinking might momentarily increase sleepiness, but it also causes frequent wakings later in the night and often causes you to wake earlier than usual the next morning.
BATH
SCIENTISTS at the University of Texas found that taking a bath 90 minutes before bed could help you nod off, with volunteers getting to sleep around 10 minutes quicker than normal.
The ideal temperature of the water was 40 to 43C, they said.
CHAMOMILE
USED as a sleep aid for thousands of years, chamomile supplements contain powerful antioxidants that appear to induce sleep and feelings of relaxation.
It’s all thought to be down to a bioflavonoid called apigenin, which binds to receptors in the brain, reducing anxiety and helping to initiate sleep.
DIGITAL CURFEW
IT can be tricky to switch off, but phones and tablets can stop you falling asleep if you don’t turn them off before bed.
The blue light they emit is said to suppress the production of our sleepy hormone, melatonin.
In fact, brightness of any colour may disturb your sleep so experts generally recommend switching off around two hours before bed.
EYE MASK
SIMPLE but effective, eye masks really do make a difference.
A study published in the journal Sleep in 2022 found that volunteers aged 18 to 35 who wore one every night for a week not only slept better, but they were also more alert and had better recall and reaction times the next day.
Eye masks can improve sleep, concentration and memory, studies suggest[/caption]
FIBRE
A 2016 study by Columbia University found that eating a low fibre diet with more saturated fat and sugar was associated with lighter, less restorative and more disrupted sleep.
Boost your intake by eating a range of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, raspberries, as well as foods such as black beans, lentils and chickpeas.
GOGGLES
NEW smart goggles from Therabody (from £99) are a step up from an eye mask and offer 100 per cent blackout protection.
They also provide a gentle eye and temple massage using heat and vibration to help you relax.
Surveys following a six-week trial found 82 per cent of people experienced a reduction in stress, 71 per cent had lower anxiety, and 23 per cent saw improvements in the quality of their sleep.
HYPNOSIS
SLEEP hypnosis is a technique that uses hypnotherapy to help people fall asleep quicker and has been used to treat insomnia.
There are plenty of apps which allow you to try this yourself at home, including the Harmony Hypnosis Meditation app, which features the calming voice of a leading hypnotherapist, Darren Marks.
He focuses on the rhythm of your breathing and clearing your thoughts in 20-minute sessions.
INTIMACY
CUDDLING has long been shown to release oxytocin in the brain.
Commonly known as the ‘cuddle hormone’, oxytocin has a calming effect and relieves stress – a major reason why people might struggle to fall asleep.
Kissing is thought to have the same effect.
JOURNAL
KEEPING a journal by your bed could help empty your mind and put the day to bed.
People who wake up in the night thinking they’ve forgotten something can also jot it down, and hopefully they can go back to sleep knowing they’ve left a reminder for when the alarm goes off.
Research published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found writing before bedtime, specifically to-do lists or the tasks you want to accomplish the next day, significantly reduced the time it took to fall asleep.
How sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley gets a good night’s sleep
Dr Neil Stanley, who has been studying sleep for more than 40 years, says: “I think that if you are going to give advice about sleep then you should at least practice what you preach, so I…
- Sleep on a 6ft super king-sized bed with pure wool, long, continental single duvets, pure cotton bed linen and two down and feather pillows
- Wear cotton pyjamas
- Sleep with a window open
- Have no TV, computer or radio on in the bedroom
- Read a paperback book before turning the lights off
- Get up as a soon as I wake up
- Turn the bedside light on and read for 10 to 60 minutes if I wake up in the night
- Need nine to 9.5 hours of sleep a night to feel my best
- Go to bed between 9.30pm and 10.30pm and get up between 6am and 6.30am, even at weekends
- Do not exercise in the evenings
- Do not eat late at night
- Have a paper and pen next to my bed to write down my worries and thoughts in the night
KIWIS
EATING a kiwi before bed can help you “sleep like a baby”, according to Dr Michael Mrozinski on TikTok.
His video followed a 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine in which volunteers ate two kiwis before bed.
Not only did they sleep longer, but they reported better sleep quality and reduced stress too.
It’s thought to be because they contain melatonin, a hormone released by your pineal gland just as you’re about to sleep.
LIGHT THERAPY
SITTING in front of a special light box for a set amount of time each day can reset your circadian rhythm, a technical term for your body clock.
Light, particularly sunlight, is the signal that it is day and you should be awake.
Light boxes that mimic daylight can help tell the body when it’s day and are useful for people with seasonal affective disorder.
The rest of us ordinary folk should just go outside.
MAGNESIUM
RESEARCH has found that taking magnesium before bed can help send you off into a sound, uninterrupted snooze.
This is primarily because of the relaxing effect it has on muscles.
You can consume it either through a supplement, or you can get it naturally by eating leafy greens, nuts and seeds.
NAP
A WELL-TIMED power nap can relieve tiredness and improve focus for several hours, according to The Sleep Foundation.
For it to be most effective, it should be timed so a person is in the lighter stages of sleep when they wake up – usually around 10 to 20 minutes.
Sleep for too long though and you’ll not only wake up feeling groggy but you may struggle to drift off at bedtime.
Scientists reckon a spoonful of olive oil may improve sleep and reduce snoring[/caption]
OLIVE OIL
A SPOONFUL of olive oil may boost sleep and reduce snoring as it is an anti-inflammatory that will help reduce irritation of the airways.
James Wilson, a sleep practitioner, known as the Sleep Geek, and founder of Beingwell, previously told The Sun: “If people [are] snoring, particularly if they’ve had spicy food or alcohol, you can take a spoonful of olive oil to reduce it.
“From experience, it’s not nice or tasty. It doesn’t stop it all together, or for everyone.
“But for a lot of people it gives your partner enough time to get to sleep before you start snoring.”
PROTEIN
A HIGH-PROTEIN diet may promote deeper sleep, according to a 2013 Harvard University study.
Though the research was only conducted on mice, researchers said those fed a high-protein diet experienced fewer awakenings during the night, and the same may be true for humans.
You can boost your diet with eggs, lean meat such as chicken, and pulses.
QUICKIES
EXPERTS at the University of Ottawa found that a quickie before bed can reduce stress and help insomniacs stay asleep for longer.
Separate research from Australia found 60 per cent of adults reported having slept better following a climax.
ROUTINE
WEEKEND lie-ins are tempting.
But waking at the same time each morning and going to bed at the same time each night has not only been proven to help adults sleep better, but recent research published in Neurology found sticking to a sleep schedule can also reduce your risk of dementia.
SOCKS
WEARING socks to bed can help you fall asleep faster and stop you waking in the night, according to a study published in a 2018 issue of the Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Scientists believe that keeping your feet warm allows the body’s core to cool down, which is necessary for good sleep.
It doesn’t have to heat up to send heat down to the feet to keep them warm.
Doing yoga before bed could improve insomnia, experts say[/caption]
TEMPERATURE
THE ideal room temperature to help you get and stay asleep is between 15.5 and 18.3C, research suggests.
When you sleep, your body starts to cool down by expanding the blood vessels in the skin.
If your sleep environment is too hot or cold, it may affect this change and cause disrupted sleep.
U-SHAPED
A LACK of sleep is sometimes to do with a lack of support for the head, neck and body.
That’s where a U-shaped pillow comes in handy for some people.
It neutralises the spine, neck and hips, helping to reduce discomfort and preventing tossing and turning – allowing for a better nights’ shut-eye.
VISUALISATION
A TECHNIQUE that involves imagining peaceful settings and involves focusing on calming images instead of anxious ones, visualisation could help you nod off.
It is a major component of apps like Headspace, which many people say helps them fall asleep.
WHITE NOISE
ADULTS fell asleep 38 per cent faster while listening to white noise – often likened to static from old untuned TVs or radios – in a 2017 study.
Researchers also found it eased crying in newborn babies and helped them fall asleep faster. Just don’t turn it up too loud!
X POSITION
THE ‘X’ or starfish sleep position is one where the sleeper lies on their back with their arms above their head and legs apart.
Only five per cent of us sleep this way, according to The Sleep Foundation, and while it might not suit everyone, it may be worth a go as it protects against shoulder, neck and back pain.
And as your face isn’t screwed up into your pillow, it may reduce the risk of wrinkles too.
YOGA NIDRA
RESEARCH from 2021 confirmed yoga nidra – a guided meditation that helps you relax – can trigger what is called a hypnagogic state, which is where a person’s brain waves slow and one may enter a state where the body is asleep but the mind is aware.
The researchers said the effect was so powerful it could be used to treat insomniacs.
ZINC
WHILE it doesn’t seem to trigger sleep, one study found that having sufficient levels of zinc in the bloodstream shortens the time it takes someone to fall asleep.
The research, published in the National Library of Medicine in October 2024, found that doses exceeding 30mg a day and taken over 12 weeks or more had the most significant effect.
