Of the 20,000 people we surveyed for our recent sleep snapshot, just 12 per cent said they woke up feeling refreshed and 75 per cent said they had trouble falling asleep at least some of the time. Since you're going to spend a third of your life sleeping, it's worth developing some healthy habits.
It's important to set aside enough time to get adequate sleep each night. On average, adults need eight hours to feel properly rested. Some require slightly less while others require a little more—it's best to listen to your own body. Unless you have long sleep requirements, you should limit your time in bed to no more than 8.5 hours.
Going to bed and getting up at about the same time each day is one of the best ways to set your internal body clock's sleep-wake rhythm. Choose a wake-up time that works for you and aim to get up within 30 minutes of that time, seven days a week. According to sleep experts, you should avoid sleeping in, even if you have had a poor night's sleep. The extra sleep drive will help you sleep better the following night, and sleeping in late can actually disturb your body clock.
Ease the process from wake-up time to sleep time by gently winding down with a period of relaxing a activities an hour or so before bed. Keep away from blue screens, vigorous exercise, doing work or discussing emotional problems. Instead, try to listen to music, read a book or take a bath. This can help you avoid stressful thoughts when your head hits the pillow.
Your bedroom should be quiet, dark, comfortable and slightly cool. Avoid using computers, mobile phones or watching television in bed, and remove any physical reminders of work that might increase stressful thoughts. To strengthen the association your brain makes between being in bed and being asleep, limit your bedroom activities to sleep.