8 Ways To Retrain Your Brain To Sleep

However if you’re struggling, here’s some tips to help.

A nice milky drink can help you relax, but make sure you avoid anything with caffeine, including tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks or hot chocolate as these will wake you up rather than help you wind down.

Don’t drink too much before bed either as you might end up disturbing your sleep by needing the toilet. Don’t drink alcohol as this causes disruptive sleep patterns.

A good, relaxing and consistent bedtime routine can help get your body and brain ready for sleep. Try a warm, relaxing bath and reading a good book in bed to help you unwind, or listen to calming music.

Although you’ll want to have a lie-in at the weekend, try to keep bedtime and wake-up times on school days and weekends around the same time. This helps your body clock get into a regular rhythm.

Don’t skip meals – how are you ever going to be able to get to sleep if your tummy is rumbling? Also, if you eat late at night, it can be hard to sleep with a full stomach that is busy trying to digest food.

Read more about healthy eating here.

Regular physical activity in the day will help you sleep, but don’t do it too late in the evening as this will make it harder for you to switch your brain off and get to sleep.

They might be the lifeline to your social life but phones, tablets, laptops, computers, games consoles, TVs and all other screens should be switched off at least an hour before going to bed.

The blue light in these devices can trick your brain into thinking it’s daytime, so you’ll find it harder to get to sleep.

If you find yourself worrying before you sleep, or waking up with worries at night, write them down. These can then be looked at the next day. Talking about your worries with friends, parents or a school nurse can be helpful.

A dark, quiet, private space is important in helping you sleep.

You should also avoid having long day time naps, as this will make it harder for you to get off to sleep at night.

Make sure where you are sleeping is at a comfortable temperature too, so not too hot or too cold, as this will help you get to sleep and stay asleep during the night too.

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