Some things you should do:

• Ensure that your bedroom is a haven for sleep. The room needs to be dark, quiet, tidy, smell fresh and be kept at a temperature of between 18C and 24C.

• Invest in a decent bed and mattress - especially if you have trouble sleeping.

• Have a regular routine which prepares you for bed and sleep. This depends on what works for you, but the main factor is working out a routine and sticking to it. Above all, winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed and you should try to keep regular sleeping hours.

• Keep the bedroom for sleep and sex. The bedroom is no place for electronic devices. Activities such as working, eating and watching television can keep you awake.

• If you are worried about something when you are trying to go to sleep, keep a note pad and a pen near the bed and note it down 'for tomorrow when I wake up'. In other words, you sleep over it literally.

• If your bed partner is a poor sleeper or a loud snorer, make arrangements to sleep in separate beds or even in separate rooms no matter how much you are close to each other.

• If you have real trouble sleeping, it may be a good idea to keep a sleep diary. It might uncover lifestyle habits or experiences in your daily activities that contribute to your insomnia.

• If you have trouble sleeping at night, you should avoid napping during the day. Take your sleepiness with you to bed.

• Don't try to exercise or eat yourself to sleep. It won't work.

• Don't use alcohol or sleeping pills or any sedatives for getting to sleep. That is quite dangerous in the medium to long term.

• Never 'try' to fall asleep. It will keep you awake.

• Don't spend hours trying to get to sleep or back to sleep. If you're still awake after 15-30 minutes, get up and do something relaxing like reading.

• There is no standard number of hours for sleep. Most adults need between six and nine hours of sleep every night. Young people need more.

• There is some evidence that women take longer to fall asleep and and are more prone to wake in the night than men. Factors appear to include a tendency to worry more at night, anxiety about new babies, and fluctuating hormones.

• There is plenty of evidence that, as you grow older, you should expect to sleep less, sleep lighter, and have your sleep broken more.

• Since the invention of the light bulb, humans have slept less overall and many people are sleep deprived.

ROGER DARLINGTON

Last modified on 15 December 2013

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