Give up lie-ins and buy an eye mask: how to get better sleep

Tips for a kip: there are budget-friendly options to help improve your sleep. Illustration: Jamie Wignall/The Guardian

Changes that cost nothing

Dr Nicola Cann, a sleep consultant and psychologist, says sleeping is a natural process “that our bodies are primed for”, so there is a lot you can do to improve it without spending anything.

The first of her three favourite suggestions is getting some morning daylight. “This could be a 20-minute walk or just drinking your coffee by a big window. Daylight helps to set our circadian rhythms [physical, mental and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle and are affected by light and darkness].”

She also suggests an evening wind-down routine that you can look forward to. “Most of us can’t jump into bed and fall straight to sleep. Having a pleasant wind-down routine for the last 30 to 60 minutes before you go to bed helps our bodies and brains to switch into sleep mode so that falling asleep is easier.”

Her last bit of advice is to wake up at the same time every day, even at weekends. “Most of us need between 13 and 16 hours of being awake to build up the sleep drive needed to get a good night’s sleep. If we lie in for an hour on a Sunday, we feel tired an hour later than usual, making it hard to get to sleep on time.”

Invest in good bedding

You can create an optimal environment for sleep “without investing in lots of gadgets”, Cann says. She advises cotton or bamboo bedding and breathable pyjamas to help keep a good temperature.

In March, Good Housekeeping did a review of the best Egyptian cotton bedding. Among its recommendations was Marks & Spencer bedding with a 230 thread count and “StayNew” technology so it feels fresh after washing. At the time of writing, a duvet cover was priced at between £37.50 and £59.

Good Housekeeping suggested that if you wanted to spend a lot more and really invest in this area of your comfort, you may want to consider something such as John Lewis’s Ultimate Collection 1,000 thread count Egyptian cotton bedding. But it’s certainly not cheap: when we looked, a double duvet cover would set you back £205.

Chris Tattersall, a sleep expert and the managing director of the bedding company Woolroom, says: “One of the most integral parts of your sleep environment is your bedding. Specifically, your duvet, pillows and mattress protector because what you sleep under and on has a profound effect on the quality of your sleep.”

He recommends going for a natural fibre such as wool, as this can help regulate temperature naturally and has “hypoallergenic qualities and self-cleaning properties” that help with sleep.

He adds: “Synthetic bedding creates a breeding ground for house dust mites due to its inability to regulate temperature, causing micro-bacteria to build up over time, which in turn aggravate allergies like eczema and asthma. Wool bedding repels these critters naturally, leading to a cleaner sleep.”

Ele Clark, the retail editor at the consumer organisation Which?, says that getting the right mattress is also key. “Before making a purchase, take the time to lie on the mattress for five to 10 minutes, checking its comfort in different positions,” she suggests.

She adds: “While a mattress can be a significant investment, there are budget-friendly options available, with some best buys costing less than £200. Alternatively, upgrading your pillow or adding a mattress topper can be a more affordable adjustment.”

Block out light

Clark suggests that those who are light sleepers and who don’t do this already should opt for an eye mask that can help block out interfering light. “We have found many of the most comfortable and effective masks on the market are priced at under £15, so you don’t need to spend big to sleep better.”

Mike Dilkes, a leading ear, nose and throat surgeon based in London, says the bedroom environment is important, and it should not be full of TVs or devices but rather have a “basic” feel with “no distractions”. He says light exclusion is part of that, and that if you have a noisy road outside, for example, thick curtains can help a little with soundproofing.

Dunelm sells a vast range of blackout curtains at various price points, while at the time of writing, John Lewis had a blackout/thermal roller blind on sale for between £15 and £34. Retailers such as Hillarys do made-to-measure curtains that you can add a blackout lining to.

Meanwhile, Cann says earplugs or a fan can mask any noises in your sleeping environment. She, too, advises getting an eye mask to block out any light.

Lose weight

It’s worth spending on lifestyle changes to help with weight loss, as this is a big cause of snoring and sleep apnea, Dilkes says. He says posture and sleeping on your side can also make a big difference.

“Sleep posture – along with weight – is the most important thing,” he says, adding: “If you sleep on your back, gravity pulls your tongue backward … The reason you do not snore when you are awake is because muscles open your airways.”

He adds: “Also, if you are overweight, the airway has more pressure on it.”

Embrace sleep tech

Cann says sleep tech is one of the fastest-growing industries, “so it’s hard for consumers to keep up with the latest developments”.

For those thinking about investing in a sleep gadget of some sort, it is important to know what the device is genuinely capable of, she says. “For example, most smartwatches can really only tell you how much sleep you’ve had and are less able to identify sleep stages.”

National Geographic has tested some of the best sleep tracker devices and recommends the Oura Ring, which can tell you when you are falling asleep and about to wake up, and will set you back about £300. For smartwatches, it suggests the Apple watch series 9 from £399.

Consumers should “be wary of overmeasuring” and Cann says that excessive checking of “sleep stats” can lead to a preoccupation with monitoring it, which may in turn prevent sleep.

“Think about what you’re going to do with the data,” she adds. “If your smartwatch says you haven’t had enough sleep, did you need it to tell you that?”