World Sleep Day: 5 expert tips to help you sleep better

Londoners are known to be bad sleepers - we work and play hard and there's little time left to catch a quality night's sleep.

But sleep isn't something we should see as a luxury, it's a necessity - just like eating and drinking. Sleep deprivation can affect our learning and has been linked to weight gain, depression and chronic illnesses.

If you struggle to drift off at night, there are some subtle lifestyle changes you can make to ensure a better night's sleep that will leave you feeling refreshed in the morning.

Here, Bupa Clinical Scientist Joao Correia shares five tips for enhancing the quality of your sleep.

Tablets and smartphones emit blue light – something which is handy during the day as it boosts attention span, mood and reaction times. But blue light also suppresses the body’s natural sleeping hormone – melatonin – and can throw out your circadian rhythm (body clock) which makes for a disruptive night’s sleep. Try to avoid using your devices once you are tucked into bed.

Research proves regular aerobic exercise will not only help you fall asleep, it will also improve the quality of your sleep. Exercise also brings the added bonus of boosting your cardiovascular health and the release of feel good endorphins. But remember it takes time to wind down after a workout, so time it right and don’t exercise right before bed time.

Having a routine before bed is something we don’t usually think about for ourselves as adults. The body has an internal clock and hormones that control sleepiness and wakefulness, which work best if there is a regular sleeping routine. Try and implement a regular routine around an hour before going to bed – it could involve relaxing in a warm bath or reading part of a book before getting your head down.

Too much caffeine can over-stimulate your nervous system, affecting your ability to fall asleep. Caffeine is found in coffee, black and green tea, some soft drinks, and chocolate, among other things. This isn’t about cutting out your favourite cravings entirely, it’s about doing things in moderation. Stick to your morning coffee if you like, but avoid drinking it at least six hours before you go to bed.

At the end of a busy day you will most likely just want to fall into bed and try and get to sleep as soon as possible. But doing this probably won’t lead to the peaceful, uninterrupted sleep you need. Make sure the room is dark and well ventilated, and consider using earplugs or a white noise appliance to lower the volume of outside noise. If possible, use heavy curtains or an eye mask to block light, and don’t underestimate the need for a comfortable mattress and pillows.

Joao Correia is a Clinical Scientist at Bupa's Cromwell Hospital. Find out more here.