QUALITY sleep can be hard to come by, leaving us feeling groggy the next morning.
While spring has sprung and the nights are lighter, this change can also have an impact on your snooze.
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If you’re struggling to get enough kip, one expert has revealed how you can reset your body clock in just three nights.
Sleep guru Martin Seeley said many Brits can feel tired during this time of year for a host of reasons.
The CEO of MatressNextDay said that many people’s bodies may still have not adjusted to the clock change from last month.
“A person’s sleep-wake cycle is very responsive to consistency so if you’ve found that you’re going to bed later due to the light nights, then naturally you’ll feel more tired the following day”, he explained.
Around 40 per cent of Brits are thought to suffer from sleep depravation, but there is something you can do to help.
A previous study showed that you can fix your snooze pattern easily.
It might be easier to do this over the weekend, as on day one, your wakeup time needs to be 10am.
Day one
Martin, who has owned MatressNextDay for 18 years and who is their mattress and sleep tester said that on day one, you need to go to bed at 11pm, getting up the next day at 10am.
As well as this you should complete a 30-minute workout in the morning to improve sleep quality and then drink at least two litres of water throughout the day to boost energy.
Martin said you should also try and use lighting, or lack of it, to notify your brain of the different points in the day.
He explained: “Light is the most important external factor affecting sleep as it plays a central role in regulating your body’s internal clock, otherwise known as your circadian rhythm.
“This signals when to be alert and when to rest, so you should expose yourself to natural sunlight throughout the day.
“Then when the sun starts to wind down on an afternoon, start dimming your lights so that by the time you get to bed, your bedroom is pitch black.
“You should also stay off your phone for at least three hours before you plan to sleep, as the blue light emitted on your phone screen can trick your mind into thinking that it’s daytime despite it being dark outside.”
If you’re still struggling to sleep on the first night, then Martin said you should try the cognitive shuffle.
This works by listing random items in your head that are easy to visualise and that aren’t directly related.
“This will tire your brain out and help keep your mind off issues preventing you from sleeping”, he added.
Day two
On day two of the schedule shift, you should wake up at 8am and go to bed at 11pm.
As soon as you wake up, open your curtains and spend at least ten minutes outside in the sun for a ‘happy hormone’ boost, Martin said.
You might struggle a little bit today as you adjust your pattern and Martin said that if you do have the urge to nap then you should do it the right way.
“You should only sleep for between 10-20 minutes as anything longer than 30 minutes can risk feeling groggy as your body will have entered a deep sleep cycle.
“Also, make sure to time your nap right. As your alertness naturally dips in the afternoon, you should pay attention to when you start to feel drowsy and nap straight away (if possible).
“Make sure this is more than 8 hours before your bedtime though, as it could impact your sleep if not.”
He added that if you do drink alcohol, then you should allow yourself just one unit and drink it at least four hours before bedtime.
Day three
Depending on what time you need to get up for work on a normal day, Martin said the wake up time on day three should reflect this and that you should go to bed at 10pm.
He said you should also eat breakfast to give yourself an energy boost, but should limit coffee to five hours before bed and stick to two coffees max.
You should also create a winding down routine to help reduce your stress hormones that keep you awake, he explained.
“When you’re stressed or anxious, your body produces more of the stress hormone, cortisol.
“The higher the cortisol, the more awake you feel. So, if you’re dreading going back to work tomorrow after a restful Bank Holiday, you should consider trying some calming activities before bedtime.
“This could include anything from yoga to stretching, meditating to deep breathing, journaling or even having a hot bath. All of these activities are proven to help you relax”, he added.
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