Good sleep habits can drift when we have no timetable to keep, so here’s a little reminder about what we should and should not do before we go to bed:

• Have a regular bedtime and try to stick to it. Our body’s like routine.
• Keep away from back-lit screens for an hour before bedtime, so your body’s natural sleep chemicals can start to work.
• Avoid caffeine for 2-3 hours before bed so you’re not kept awake, when you should be asleep.
• Take a relaxing bath before bed, using essential oils such a lavender and chamomile. This will aid muscular relaxation and allow you to wind down. And why not add a candle or two, if you have that option in your space.
• Don’t have your bedroom too warm. We sleep better in a cool room, because we can snuggle up in our duvet without getting hot and grumpy.
• Avoid alcohol before bed. Alcohol causes us to sleep heavily initially, but commonly causes us to wake early. This leaves us feeling tired and flat. Not the best wayto start your day.
• End your day with positive thoughts. Many teachers agree that ending your day with a gratitude journal helps to improve your state of mind. Not everyone likes to journal however, so if that’s not your thing, just take 5 minutes, at the end of the day (if only as you lie there before sleep) to remember all the good things in your life and all the reasons you have to grateful to be alive. This helps to calm your nervous system, settle your heart rate and ensures you end your day on a positive note.