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How to get a good nights rest

· Don’t work up till bedtime; allow yourself two hours chill out time, to wind down, e.g. a hot bath.
· Our muscles store tension in them and can make us feel tight and stressed. Use muscle relaxation techniques to de-stress the body: simply tense up each part of your body and gently relax it again, repeat the exercise 2 or 3 times
· Avoid foods containing tyramine in the evening e.g. bacon, aubergines, pepperoni, nuts or avocado. Tyramine causes the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
· Make your surroundings conducive to sleep, leave distractions out of the bedroom and clear the clutter.
· Make a to do list on paper for the next day, then put it out of your mind.
· Regular exercise tires your body and makes it prepare for a sounder sleep; just be careful not to do it close to bedtime as exercise produces endorphins that stimulate the brain.
· Finish eating 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, however if you do get peckish close to bedtime, eat something that triggers the hormone serotonin, which makes you sleepy. Carbohydrates such as bread and cereal are ideal for this.
· The body has an internal clock that regulates the sleep cycle to balance both sleep and waking. A regular wake up time strengthens your sleep routine.
· Avoid caffeine, a stimulant that can linger in the body for 3 to 5 hours. It can disrupt sleep patterns, resulting in poor quality sleep. Opt for a herbal alternative.
· Keep lights low before bedtime. This assists your brain to produce a chemical called melatonin, a natural sedative. Being in a brightly lit room or in front of a computer disrupts the release of this chemical.
· Drink a cup of warm milk before bedtime it contains tryptophan, a natural enzyme that aids sleep.