Surprising ways to get a better night's sleep

  • 28/06/2017

If you've been struggling to get a good night's sleep lately, then look no further.

The AM Show's life hack queen Trudi Nelson has compiled a list of the things you should be doing to help you nod off at night… and stay that way.

 

No coffee in the morning or evening

Ms Nelson says for a good sleep you need to lay in groundwork from the start of the day, including the timing of your coffee breaks.

Ms Nelson says there's no need for caffeine as soon as you wake up.

"Our cortisol levels are actually at their highest when we first get up and we don't need a caffeine boost.

"Try and have a coffee between 10am and 2pm and then after two, camomile tea."

 

No carbs after lunch

Ms Nelson says this one may seem very difficult to some, and may make some people very sleepy mid-afternoon at first.

But she says it'll eventually lead to a better sleep.

"Your carbs then want to get burnt off by your body so [if you eat carbs later on] your body wants action at about six or seven o'clock at night."

 

No wine and cheese at night

"It's a good way to end the day but not if you want good sleep," Ms Nelson says.

She suggests substituting in a banana, warm milk, and a magnesium tablet before you hit the hay.

 

Don't hit the snooze alarm

"[The] snooze alarm's not good. We're humans, we thrive on routine and if you're hitting the snooze alarm you're not getting up at the same time everyday," Ms Nelson says.

"Have the alarm clock in the very far corner of your bedroom."

 

Try counting

"Lie on your back and put your hands behind your head like you're on holiday," Ms Nelson says.

"Breathe in, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold… and then let it out."

Counting works because it occupies your mind with a very simple task, which takes your thoughts away from everything else.

 

Avoid long naps

If you need a nap, Ms Nelson says keep it short.

"20 minutes, 30 minutes max."

She says that's enough to make a difference without affecting the night.

 

Spooning

Mark Richardson had a tactic of his own, saying "spooning's the key".

"It sends my wife off to sleep, I have to be spooned and she's off to sleep."

 

Watch the video for the full interview.

Newshub.