Sleep expert and Physiologist, Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, gives us her top tips for getting a good night’s sleep.
The UK is experiencing a sleep deprivation crisis, with an estimated 18.5 million adults sleeping fewer than six hours a night. In winter – with its shorter and darker days – many adults face even greater challenges in getting restorative sleep.
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to improve your overall health and wellbeing but for many, it doesn’t come easily. Between busy schedules, constant screen time, and daily stress, quality rest can feel out of reach. The good news is that better sleep isn’t just about luck; it’s about building the right habits and environment to support your body’s natural rhythm.
A recent survey commissioned by Kalms Herbal Remedies revealed the extent of the nation’s sleep epidemic. 54% of UK adults surveyed struggle to drift off at night, with 46% operating on alarmingly low levels of sleep. The primary culprits? Difficulty falling asleep (52%) and frequent night-time awakenings (54%). While darker evenings may encourage some to head to bed earlier, the sudden adjustment in time from the clocks changing can throw body clocks off balance, making it harder to fall asleep at night and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning.
Circadian rhythm, our body’s internal 24-hour clock, plays a crucial role in regulating sleep. The transition out of daylight saving time combined with the challenges of the winter season can disturb the sleep-wake cycle, leading to social jet lag and contributing to an accumulation of sleep debt. This disruption doesn’t just impact energy levels – it can also affect overall wellbeing and productivity.
Dr Nerina Ramlakhan is a Physiologist and Sleep Therapist who obtained her BSc and PhD from King’s College London. She’s also the author of Tired but Wired: How to Overcome Your Sleep Problems: The Essential Toolkit and is Silentnight’s ‘sleep expert’. Commenting on the importance of getting a good night’s sleep, she says: “Sleep is fundamental for our physical and mental health, enhancing all aspects of the mind, body, and soul. When we achieve consistent, good quality sleep, we have the physical and mental ability to deal with the burden of uncertain times.
“Creating a sleep-care routine that aligns with your lifestyle and makes you feel relaxed gives you the best chance of achieving a deep and restorative night’s sleep and waking up feeling reenergised. This differs from person to person, but the concept remains the same; develop reliable practices that help you to unwind from the stressors of daily life and prioritise sleep.”
To help navigate the seasonal shift, Dr Nerina shares five essential pillars for achieving deeper, more restorative sleep…
Digital detox
When we’re tired and ready for bed, the body starts to produce more melatonin levels, signalling it’s ready to go to sleep. But when we get into bed and start scrolling or watching something on a screen, it can prevent us from falling asleep by inhibiting the production of the sleep hormone and increases levels of dopamine, which is associated with wakefulness. Make sure you dim the brightness, or better still, make your bedroom a screen-free zone.
Relaxation
Waking in the early hours of the morning is more common than you think, but there are tricks we can do to stop the body waking into full consciousness. When this happens, avoid checking the time on your phone or any electronic device and try this simple relaxation technique; close your eyes and bring your attention to your breathing, take deep breaths in and slow breaths out, lulling yourself back to sleep.
Herbal remedies
For centuries, valerian root has been commonly used for its sleep-inducing properties. It works by promoting calmness and reducing stress, a common trigger for sleep disturbances. Herbal remedies offer a safe over-the-counter solution to support a restful night’s sleep with less chance of waking in the night.
Mindset shift
Writing down daily gratitudes before you go to bed shifts your focus to positive things which have happened in your day. Studies have shown that optimistic people have a 70% lower chance of suffering from sleep disorders and can even live healthier and longer lives than pessimists.
Routine is key
It’s easy to hit the snooze button and sneak in a few more minutes sleep but waking up and going to bed at the same time each day helps to give our internal body clock the consistency it needs to maintain its sleep-wake cycles. Set an alarm for the same time each morning and make waking up at the same time just as important as going to bed at a consistent hour.
