Sleep - how difficult can it be?

I often see people who have difficulty getting a good night's kip, and bad sleep can have a major effect on their quality of life.

I've certainly had those days and nights myself - lying in bed, with my brain refusing to switch off, followed by days feeling like my skull has been packed with cotton wool, and hoping nobody asks me to do anything clever or complicated.

Now Chinese medicine has loads to say on the subject of sleeplessness, and practitioners like me are always fascinated in the details of how an individual's insomnia manifests (there's books and books written on the subject, and I may go into further detail in a later post.)

But before we look at the bells and whistles, let's get the basics right. It often surprises me how many people overlook or are unaware of some of the fundamentals of restfulness.

1. Do you have a regular pre-sleep ritual? Something that gives a clear break between what you do when you're awake and what you do when you're ready for bed. For me, I try and make sure that there’s no distractions in the bedroom like PCs/TVs, and I have a half hour or so of reading before I sleep. Sometimes I’ll have a glass of hot or cold milk. Many people find a quick bath or shower before they get into bed is nice. It’s basic, but it does make a difference. Do something that allows you to wind down before you switch off the lights.
2. Try and get your evening meal out of the way two or three hours before bedtime so that it’s reasonably digested before you try to sleep. Unless you're a sleeping superhero, eating that chicken vindaloo with rice, naans and samosas five minutes before you get into bed will disrupt your sleep.
3. If you wake up, don’t fret about waking up - just accept it. Maybe get yourself a glass of water or milk, and read a bit more of your book until you feel tired (if you have a partner, try not to wake them up while doing this ... a dis-chuffed partner can also be a cause of sleepless nights!). Don’t make agonising about not being able to sleep one of the factors that’s keeping you awake.
4. Think about eye-shades or earplugs if light or noise are physically-controllable factors in the waking up.
5. A strong cup of coffee before bedtime really won't help (though a friend of mine swears blind to the contrary!) If you have difficulty sleeping, avoid caffeine in the evening, and think hard about cutting it out altogether.
6. Finding time for regular exercise on top of a busy life can be tough. It helps though.

If anyone else has any simple advice for good sleep, let me know.