One in five Brits don’t get enough sleep (Image: Getty Images)
Struggling to doze off or keep those eyes shut at night is a common issue it turns out one in five Brits are in the same boat, battling which can, over time, unleash a host of health woes both physically and mentally.
Yet, it seems our neighbours across the Channel might be onto something with their sleep-enhancing routines.
It’s good news, though: many sleep strategies are simple to adopt into your daily regime to ensure a blissful slumber.
A study by scoured 36 European nations and crowned Denmark as the haven for heavenly sleep, with the Netherlands not far behind.
Europeans on average achieve about seven hours of shuteye each night one secret? They regularly air out their bedding.
Even just drawing back the duvet and giving your bed a couple of hours to ‘breathe’ could work wonders for a touch extra freshness, try hanging out the linen on a dry day, rewarding yourself with wonderfully crisp sheets.
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There are some tricks to help you sleep better (Image: Getty Images)
As reports , sleep expert Martin Seeley from MattressNextDay: “Airing out bedding is a tradition in Scandinavian locations. Airing out your bedding in a cold, dry UK winter not only can have your bed feeling crisp and cold to the touch, but also helps to rid your bedding of dust mites and bacteria and therefore prolonging the life of your bedding.”
He also extols the merits of soaking up the outdoors suggesting something as easy as savouring your morning brew al fresco can significantly perk up your bedtime experience.
Enjoying your morning cuppa outdoors could be the key to a good night’s sleep, according to experts. The natural light exposure plays a pivotal role in regulating our Circadian rhythm – the internal clock that controls our sleep-wake cycle.
Post-coffee, why not take a stroll or even cycle to work? This Dutch-beloved habit can significantly improve your sleep quality, even on overcast days. Just 20 minutes outside not only aids your Circadian rhythm but also reduces stress, ensuring you’re more relaxed when bedtime rolls around.
It turns out that drinking a glass of warm milk before bed is rooted in science. Milk is rich in tryptophan, an essential amino acid used by the body to produce serotonin, which is then converted into melatonin – the sleep-regulating hormone.
So, a glass of milk or a bowl of milky porridge before hitting the hay could help you drift off faster and stay asleep longer.