Sleep is essential to good physical and mental health and well-being. Sleep also plays an important role in memory and learning. Research suggests that sleep helps you to store new memories in the brain over time. Sleep can also help with “cognitive” processes (for example, thinking and problem-solving).
There are many reasons why you might have trouble getting to sleep or find that your sleep pattern varies. If you have trouble sleeping, the following suggestions may help.
- Set the alarm for the same time every morning and get up when it goes off. Do this whether or not you feel you have had a good night’s sleep. It will help your body to develop a regular sleep pattern.
- Being more active and going outside during daylight can help.
- Avoid long daytime naps. If you do need one, keep it to 30 minutes at most and no later in the day than early afternoon.
- Avoid tea, coffee, cola and cocoa from lunchtime onwards. These are stimulants and can keep you awake. Try caffeine-free varieties.
- Avoid eating a heavy meal or drinking too much fluid in the evening. Digesting a meal can keep you awake, or you might wake up to go to the toilet.
- Do not drink alcohol before going to bed.
- Try not to do anything that needs a lot of physical or mental energy - such as going for a run or Sudoku - during the hour before you go to bed. Your body and mind will still be awake when you go to bed.
- Wait until you are sleepy before you lie down to go to sleep. Make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature and not too bright.
- Keep your bedroom just for sleeping or sex. Do not use electronic devices, such as the television, radio, phone or tablet device, in the bedroom. Try not to eat or read in bed.
- When you go to bed, turn the light off.
- If you do not fall asleep within about 10 minutes, get up and go to another room if it is safe to do this. You may wish to use a night-light. Do something relaxing in the other room and only go back to bed when you feel sleepy. You may find that you have to do this more than once a night.
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