Our sleep patterns change as we get older. Developing good sleep habits is a more effective way of solving sleep problems than resorting to medicines. Sleeping tablets usually make sleep problems worse, not better, in the long term. They can also cause side effects, even those bought without a prescription. If you don’t sleep well, some of these strategies might help.

Reset your body clock

We all have an internal ‘body clock’ that controls our daily cycle of becoming sleepy in the evening, sleeping through the night, and waking up in the morning. Being ‘in sync’ with your body clock makes it easier to sleep.

You can help to set your body clock by consistently going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, regardless of how well you slept the previous night. If you can’t get to sleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing in another room until you feel sleepy again. Persist with this routine until you develop a regular sleep pattern. It will also help your body to associate going to bed with sleep rather than sleeplessness and frustration, which, in turn, will help you to sleep better.

Sunlight also helps to set your body clock, so try to get outside in the sun for a while every day.

Some people can sleep well despite having a short nap in the afternoon. However, if you’re having trouble sleeping at night, avoid having a nap during the day. If you do nap, keep it to only 20 minutes before 3 pm.

Have a bedtime routine

Doing the same things each night in the last half hour or so before going to bed helps to remind your body that it’s time to go to sleep.
Your bedtime routine might include things like having a light bedtime snack or glass of warm milk, having a warm bath, reading, or listening to music, the radio or a talking book. Avoid computers.

Be comfortable

Keep the bedroom dark while you sleep. Even dim lights, such as those from a television or computer screen, can disturb the body clock and result in poor sleep.

Try to keep your bedroom and bed at a comfortable temperature. Being too warm or cold is a common reason for waking up frequently in the night.

Relax your mind

You can’t sleep well if your mind is not relaxed, so try not to take your day-time stress, anger or work to bed with you. Also, avoid work and activities involving concentration, such as working on the computer, late in the evening.

If you can’t relax because of chronic worrying, stress or anger, consider learning some relaxation techniques to help you ‘switch off’, or seek help from a GP or counsellor.

Avoid stimulants

Avoid caffeine drinks, such as tea, coffee, energy drinks and cola, close to bedtime and maybe even from early afternoon. Milk contains tryptophan, which has been shown to enhance sleep, so consider a warm milk drink instead.

Alcohol before bedtime may help you to dose off. However, it also disturbs the normal sleep rhythm, so you won’t tend to sleep as well.

Get regular exercise

Being physically active during the day makes it easier to fall asleep and improves how well you sleep. However, the timing is important. Exercise too late in the day stimulates the body and raises body temperature, making it harder to sleep. Exercise in the morning or afternoon gives your body time to wind down and cool down.

Getting back to sleep

If you wake up during the night, relax and try not to get stressed. Try some relaxation techniques or a repetitive, non-stimulating activity like counting sheep. Remind yourself that although it’s not as good as sleeping, resting in bed can still refresh your body. If you’ve been awake for more than 20 minutes, try getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity in dim light until you feel sleepy again.

Tackle underlying problems

Poor sleep can be a side effect of some medications and some chronic conditions, including depression, anxiety and sleep apnoea. In these situations, treating the underlying problem often alleviates the sleep problem.

Sleeping tablets usually make sleep

problems worse, not better, in the long term.

If you have sleep problems, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, and tell them about any other symptoms you may be experiencing. If their suggestions don’t help, consider asking for a referral to a sleep specialist or sleep clinic, so your sleep problem can be investigated.

Get NPS resources

NPS has some resources to help you get a good night’s sleep. They can be ordered from the NPS website.

• The Sleep right, sleep tight fact sheet has advice about sleep, sleep  problems and things you can do to improve your sleep.
• If you’re having trouble sleeping, use the Sleep diary to help you work out what might be affecting your sleep. Take it to your doctor to use as basis for discussing your sleep problems.