Many Britons struggle to fall asleep. In fact, new research reveals they spend up to 30 minutes trying to get to sleep every night.
This costs them 9,744 minutes of sleep annually, equivalent to nearly a week of lost rest. However, using an alarm in the evening could help you to drift off more easily, according to an expert.
The study, by BlueIron, identified the top three sleep strategies as reading a book (30 per cent), watching TV (28 per cent), and drinking water (26 per cent).
Luckily, the choices you make every day could improve how well you sleep, according to a nutritionist at BlueIron Cara Shaw.
She exclusively shared a number of hacks that could make it easier to drift off, including using a “reverse alarm” to help you wind down in the evening.
Cara explained: “Instead of setting an alarm in the morning, set a ‘wind-down’ alarm in the evening to remind you to switch off screens and start relaxing.”
Switching off screens and staying away from blue light an hour or so before going to bed can help you to fall asleep more easily, and even improve the quality of your sleep.
Another thing Britons may not realise is keeping them awake is their blood sugar levels. Try an evening snack to stop you from waking up.
Cara continued: “A drop in blood sugar at night can trigger cortisol (the stress hormone), waking you up.
“Try a small protein and fat snack before bed. Think Greek yoghurt with nuts, a golden milk cuppa (aka hot milk with turmeric), or almond butter on an oat cracker.”
Hunger and blood sugar crashes can wake you up during the night, but be careful with what you eat before going to bed.
The nutritionist added another way that what you eat can affect your sleep, urging Britons to check their iron levels if sleep often alludes to them.
Eating before bed can also improve your ability to sleep
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She explained: “Iron supports the production of melatonin to help induce sleep.
“Make sure to consume iron-rich foods like meat, fish, dark leafy greens like spinach, and lentils and legumes alongside vitamin C-rich foods to optimise absorption and support levels.
“Don’t ignore subtle signs of iron deficiency like restless sleep and fatigue on waking – you may well benefit from a gentle liquid supplement like BlueIron.”
