It's time for Wellness: Sleep Tight

We all know the immediate effects of too many late nights. We're left bleary-eyed, snappy and struggling to concentrate.

Even worse, regularly burning the candle at both ends could have serious health consequences. Insufficient sleep has been shown to increase the levels of stress hormones in our bodies and has also been linked to obesity as well as a raising your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

There's no right amount of sleep for everyone. But if you often find yourself relying on caffeine to stay awake during the day, or you really struggle to wake up, you're probably not getting enough.

What's keeping you up?

Alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are the main culprits affecting sleep patterns and the quality of your sleep; so if you're struggling to snooze, take a look at these three first and foremost.

Try to avoid caffeine post lunch, or at least after 4pm. Switch to warm, milky drinks or herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint.

If you're aiming to cut your caffeine intake in the day, find somewhere to close your eyes for a few minutes if you can. Research shows that a 15-minute nap is more effective than a coffee at beating tiredness.

And while a few alcoholic drinks after work or at the weekend might seem like a nice way to unwind, they can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle.

Alcohol has a sedative effect which causes you to fall straight into a deep sleep, but don't be tricked into thinking that this is a good thing. As the alcohol wears off you'll come out of deep sleep causing you to wake up earlier than you should, and once you're awake, you'll find it harder to drift off again, which explains why you can feel exhausted the morning after the night before.

And although regular exercise can relieve stress and help you sleep, a strenuous workout too close to bedtime can make it harder to drop off. So if possible, schedule your exercise for earlier in the day. If night time is the only time you can exercise, choose more sedate activities like swimming or yoga.

Sleepy Snacks

Digestive activity can also keep us awake. So try to leave a gap between your evening meal and turning in, and avoid rich, spicy foods late at night.

However, going to bed hungry can make it just as hard to sleep. If you're really hungry, a small bowl of whole-wheat cereal with warm skim milk an hour or two before you turn in makes a great bedtime snack.

Wholegrain cereals are also a good source of B vitamins, and studies show a deficiency of these can lead to sleep problems. In addition, milk is rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that acts as a natural sedative. Making it warm ups the comfort factor while the carbs in the cereal will make it easier for the tryptophan to get to your brain. Other foods high in tryptophan include turkey, chicken, eggs, cheese, tuna, nuts and seeds.

And...relax

Get into a relaxing pre-bed routine that tells your body it's time to wind down and get ready for sleep.

Switch off the TV and computer at least half an hour before you plan to turn in and dim the lights.

Melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in making you feel drowsy and preparing you for sleep, is produced when its dark, so try not to have lights shining into your room, or a bright alarm clock.

Play some gentle music or read for a while and if you really struggle to switch off, think about investing in relaxation CD's. Learning some deep breathing techniques may also help.

A warm shower or bath will chill you out literally. Your blood vessels dilate helping you to cool quickly afterwards. Your core temperature needs to drop by two degrees for you to fall asleep.

If you often lie awake worrying about the busy day ahead, write a to-do list before turning in. If you've got other worries, think about starting a diary to offload them before hitting the sack.

You might also like to pop on a pair of socks before getting into bed - warming your feet widens the blood vessels helping to radiate body heat away, which prepares the body for sleep.

Create a sleep haven

Avoid watching TV in your room if you can. It's important to associate that space with rest and sleep. Researchers have also discovered a link between watching TV in bed and obesity, because it increases the chance of disrupted sleep.

Keep an eye on your thermostat. Sleep experts recommend a warm, comfortable bed in a cool room - aim for between 61 and 64 degrees in the bedroom.

Make it as dark as possible, invest in thicker blinds or curtains if street lamps or the light of dawn are affecting your sleep. Ear plugs are also worthwhile if noise is a problem.

Finally, keep your room clutter free. Disorganization and mess is another cause of elevated stress hormone levels. Not great for drifting off.

Bedtime...

When it comes to going to bed and getting up, it's best to be a creature of habit. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, (including weekends) programs your body to sleep better.

But if you go to bed and can't sleep, don't lie there fretting. Go to another room, sit in a dim light and do something you find relaxing like reading, listening to soft music or even doing a jigsaw puzzle. When you start to feel sleepy, go back to bed.

If you're really struggling to sleep for more than a few nights, or falling asleep at inappropriate times, you may have a sleep disorder. Sleep problems can also be a symptom of other conditions. See your doctor if you're worried.

Until next week, sweet dreams from Fitbug!