5 Ways To Sleep Better This World Health Day 2022

World Health Day falls on 7 April each year, marking the anniversary of WHO's founding (World Health Organization). This year's theme is "our planet, our health", focusing on clean air, water, food, health and wellbeing globally.

One thing we can all do to improve our health is sleep better. We spend around a third of our lives sleeping, with sleep essential to our survival. One poor night's sleep makes you groggy, so imagine what chronic insufficient sleep can do!

While some people suffer from insomnia and sleep apnea and require medical help, most can make small changes to sleep better immediately.

Here are five ways to do just that:

Stick to a sleep schedule 

If you struggle to sleep and wake up, a sleep schedule will help you reset your body clock and get into a pattern.

Sleep schedules are easy to do:

• Go to bed at the same time every night
• Wake up at the same time every morning**

 **The second part is the most important. By waking up at the same time every morning, you will naturally feel tired close to bedtime, and this will help you fall asleep and create a sleep cycle that gives you all the rest you need.

Top tip - set the alarm for an hour before waking up to bring yourself out of deep sleep and make waking up easier.

Avoid screens an hour before bedtime

Whether it's a TV or smartphone, blue light disrupts sleep by suppressing the release of the sleep hormone melatonin. Even with a blue light filter, some blue light still gets through and can stimulate your brain, keeping you awake.

If you must use your smartphone or laptop, use night mode or download an app that lets you reduce blue light. With a TV, set a warm colour tone.

Another reason to avoid smartphones (and the internet in general) before bed is anxiety; studies have shown that social media and instant content can fuel anxiety, with problematic smartphone use every day in younger people.

Kerb, your caffeine consumption

Caffeine is excellent for a quick pick-me-up in the morning, but consuming it too close to bedtime can disrupt sleep duration and quality.

This study found that caffeine affects sleep when consumed up to six hours before bedtime, so if you go to bed at 10, you need to stop drinking caffeine at 4.

The amount of caffeine you consume is also significant; one cup of brewed coffee contains about 95mg of caffeine, but dark chocolate and diet coke have less. At the very least, you can restrict your caffeine consumption to sleep better.

Don't drink coffee 6 hours before bed!

Read a book in bed

Reading puts your mind on another plane, giving you an escape from everyday life and making you feel tired. Whether you love fiction or non-fiction, there's always a good book to read, and you can pick them up for peanuts online.

This study found that reading a book at bedtime improves sleep for 22% of people, although higher numbers are possible by increasing reading duration.

When reading in bed, dim the lights and wear reading glasses if you need to. Reading lights with amber bulbs can also improve your reading experience.

Exercise and move more 

Exercising and moving more can help you sleep better. Something as simple as a brisk walk an hour before bedtime can help you feel tired.

Moderate to vigorous exercise reduces sleep onset in many people or the time it takes to fall asleep. A recent study also found that lifting weights improves sleep quality by releasing a molecule called adenosine, which causes drowsiness.

In addition to improving your sleep, exercise helps you lose and maintain a healthy weight, build strength, and boost immunity.

As World Health Day draws nearer, exercise is our best tip to sleep better, feel healthier and feel happier. Give it a go and see how you get on.

Related pages

• How to sleep better with anxiety