How to get to sleep if daylight savings has you out of wack

Sleep can elude us for many reasons: stress, kids, social lives, working late, and at this time of year, the clocks going forward for that pesky hour.

If you need some help dozing off, here are some top tips from the experts for a blissful slumber from that'll see you through from dusk 'til dawn.

Repeat your routine 

Rolling with a routine isn't just for newborns - having your own wind-down regimen is an ideal way to create a more structured bedtime. We all have our creature comforts, whether it's a hot bath with your favourite aromatherapy oils (think lavender or vanilla - both renowned for their calming properties), brewing the perfect cup of sleepy tea or slipping into your comfiest pyjamas and laying down with a lavender-scented eye pillow. Your body will recognise the familiarity of a routine and begin to respond accordingly. 

Create a peaceful space

Your bedroom environment is vital to how you sleep. Restful influences such as diffusers with gentle scents, quality linens and bedding all make a difference to your bedtime experience. Investing in blackout curtains can be a gamechanger, as sleeping in a room with too much light can disrupt your sleep and sleep rhythms. And as much as you love them, it can be a good idea banish your furry friends from the bedroom too. Their restless nighttime habits can be a surefire way to interrupt quality sleep.

For true babes in arms sleep habits, install a white noise app - the perfect way to zone out into a state of slumber.

Ban the blue light

That's right, step away from your digital friends come bedtime. Screens have become an integral part of our lives, but a digital detox is an effective way to calm the mind and clear the mental clutter necessary to relax into sleep. By removing your phone from your reach, you'll also nix any temptation to check emails or scroll your favourite social media accounts. Science supports removing blue light from the bedroom too - as night falls, our bodies start to produce melatonin, which tells our body to get tired and go to sleep. Blue light from screens such as laptops, phones and tablets actually inhibits melatonin production, which means less sleep, and reduced quality of sleep. 

Comfort is key

A good night's sleep is essential to our everyday health and wellbeing - yet waking up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day can often be the exception, not the rule. New research from mattress retailer Ecosa found that as we age, we tend to move away from sleeping in positions such as on our back, stomach and freestyle (a variation in sleep position), in favour of sleeping on our side. Sleeping on your stomach or your side also creates constant pressure on your face. Over time, this can produce unwanted sleep lines. You can remedy this by sleeping on your back, but keep in mind that you won't be able to control involuntary sleep movement leading you back to a side or stomach position. Bottom line? Practice makes perfect!

Newshub.