If you want to get the most out of your day, it’s important you get a good night’s sleep.
Amidst the plethora of sleep tips circulating on social media, it’s important to remember that not every method will suit everyone. What might aid one person’s slumber, like a ‘sleepy girl mocktail‘, could be less effective than gentle pre-bedtime exercise for someone else – and vice versa.
It’s a personal journey to find what works best, but there are certain strategies that tend to be universally beneficial. Dr Suzanne Wylie, a GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, has shared her top recommendation, especially for World Sleep Day (March 14).
Dr Wylie advises: “One of the most impactful changes you can make to improve your sleep is to avoid screens at least 30 minutes before bed.”
She explains the reason behind this: “The blue light emitted by smartphones, tablets, laptops, and TVs interferes with melatonin production, the hormone that signals your body it’s time to sleep.”
This exposure to blue light can mislead your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, which disrupts your natural sleep cycle and makes falling asleep more challenging.
The Cleveland Clinic provides further insight, stating: “Melatonin is a natural hormone that’s mainly produced by your pineal gland in your brain. It plays a role in managing your sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm.”
They also note that “Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. The most important and well-known of these circadian rhythms is your sleep-wake cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark”.
Dr Wylie advised: “To improve sleep quality, replace screen time with a more relaxing activity before bed. Consider reading a book, listening to calming music, or engaging in light stretching or meditation.
“These activities help your mind wind down without overstimulation, preparing your body for sleep. Over time, this small change can significantly improve your ability to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and experience deeper, more restorative rest.”
Additionally, she warned that the act of scrolling through social media apps just before going to bed “can be especially harmful to sleep, as it often involves engaging with emotionally charged or stimulating content” and recommended reading as a more relaxing alternative.
Further highlighting the negative impacts of social media, Dr Wylie added: “Additionally, the unpredictability of social media can increase stress or anxiety, disrupting your ability to wind down. This combination of blue light exposure and mental stimulation makes it harder to switch off and fall into a restful state.”
Nikki Camm, massage specialist at Lush said that magnesium deficiency could also be causing your sleep to suffer. She said: “It is well known that poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on our health, but what’s less well known is that a deficiency in magnesium can be one of the main factors affecting the quality of sleep we can achieve.
“Known as nature’s finest relaxant, transdermal magnesium relaxes body and mind for a restful night’s sleep. It’s also important to create a bedtime ritual that you can do every night – even on weekends. Sleeping and waking at the same time programmes your mind to release the correct hormones at the right time, strengthening your internal body clock, also known as circadian rhythm.
“A magnesium-powered massage routine at bedtime can be the perfect solution to ease away the stresses of the day. We hunch, rush, and slouch constantly, and spending some time readdressing our bodies can help our minds settle, too. Magnesium is thought to activate the neurotransmitters in our brain, which are responsible for calming the mind and body, making it a great mineral to load up on before bedtime.”
The NHS suggests that adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but notes that the exact amount needed varies based on individual factors like age, health, and personal circumstances.