Sleepless nights? Don’t be alarmed... press the reset
On these oh-so gloomy short days, with not much respite from dark mornings and dark nights, you’d think it would be easier to get a decent night’s sleep.
But factor in a winter of discontent and the rising cost of living and chances are you’re tossing and turning – and feeling generally out of sorts as a result.
“One of the most difficult issues we face at this time of year is the tiredness we feel upon waking,” says Dr Maja Schaedel, clinical psychologist with a specialism in insomnia, sleep difficulties and trauma, and co-founder of the Good Sleep Clinic – explaining that this is linked to our circadian rhythms. “These are our internal body clocks, which help us to know when it’s daytime, and when it’s time to sleep – and they are massively affected by light,” she explains.
Here, experts share their top tips for getting the best sleep possible in winter...
1.Turn on your lamp as soon as your alarm goes off
It may not be light outside when your alarm goes off but you can help your body to recognise daytime by using artificial light, says Dr Schaedel . “A bright light shining in your face will help to persuade your brain that it is, in fact, daylight, even if you have your eyes shut.”
2. Go for a walk in the cold
“It can be so difficult to muster the motivation to get outside and exercise when it’s cold, windy and raining, but the benefits of exercise to our sleep quality – and the benefits of exposure to daylight to our circadian rhythm – are clear,” says Dr Schaedel.
If you struggle to make time or find the motivation for it, she says to try to make your walk an ‘experience’ and see it as an invigorating, challenging moment, where you are fully faced with the drama of the natural world. If you’re working from home, add it into your routine as an alternative ‘commute’.
3.Ditch the tech before bedtime
“In the hour before you settle down for the night, try to avoid bright screens, such as laptops and mobile phones, which can stimulate your brain and keep you awake for longer,” says Angel Enrique, senior digital health scientist at SilverCloud Health.
Instead, he suggests spending time on a wellness activity, such as reading or bathing – or anything you find relaxing.
4.Try the Scandinavian sleep method
“The Scandinavian sleep method is where a couple uses two separate duvets/blankets, rather than one large one to share,” explains Dorothy Chambers, sleep expert at Sleep Junkie. “It has its pros and cons – and definitely something that might not suit everyone’s personal sleeping preferences.”
5.Eat the best foods for sleep and time it right
Dorothy suggests that ideally, you should be eating your last meal of the day at least three hours before bed and not eating again until breakfast (although this can vary depending on your individual health and needs, of course). And if you do need a midnight snack, she suggests keeping it light and sticking to sleep-friendly foods, such as bananas, almonds, or yoghurt.
“Some foods have specific sleep-promoting properties, while others make your stomach feel heavy and unsettled. For example, eating turkey makes you feel drowsier than red meat would,” she adds.