Your weekend lie-in could be causing insomnia - and what you need to do to stop it

From mirror.co.uk

At the end of a busy week, the one thing most of us look forward to a lie in on Saturday morning.
This seems like an even better treat if you suffer from insomnia.

But an expert has warned that your weekend lie-in could be CAUSING your insomnia and not helping you catch up on sleep.
Dr Shelby Harris, a sleep expert and psychologist, told Radio 4's Women's Hour: "If you wake early, then try to do something with that that rather than lying in bed awake until later.
"If you're lying in bed, awake, then it could lead to you developing insomnia.

"Tossing and turning will worsen your sleep in the long-term. You should get up at your normal time and get into a good sleep schedule."

Insomnia is more likely to affect women than men - with hormones, stress and struggling to get the work/life balance right the worst culprits.
Having children and having problems getting back into a regular sleep pattern as youngsters grow up also affects women more than their partners.
Dr Harris insists getting a good night's kip is all about developing a good sleep schedule.
And that involves a lot more than just going to bed at the same time every night.

    Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia than men (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Exercise can be key to make sure you get enough shut eye - but it needs to be done at the right time.
Dr Harris said: "Twenty minutes of exercise, four to six hours before bed means your body will be warm but you need time to cool off.
"Don't exercise before bed, even if you want to tire yourself out."

Steering clear of booze before bed is also a must if you want to get a decent night of quality sleep.
Dr Harris said: "You will fall asleep quicker but the quality of your sleep will be much worse and you'll wake up feeling groggy in the morning

Snoring partners can also massively hinder sleep, and Dr Harris says there is nothing wrong with sleeping in separate rooms - but only if you've tried every other avenue. And rather than reaching for sleep medication straight away, Dr Harris strongly recommends trying cognitive behavioural therapy first.
This can focus on finding out what's causing the insomnia in the first place and coming up with skills to calm the mind and manage stress.
She said: "There is a place for sleep medication but only if you're not responding to other treatment, like CBT."
And making sure your bedroom is the perfect environment for sleep is key.

Dr Harris said: "It should be like a pretty cave - quiet, dark and cool."
Even if your room isn't quite, Dr Harris recommends investing in a white noise machine or downloading an app for your phone to drown out background sounds.
She added: "Foam ear plugs aren't great, try silocone, and get light blocking shades.

"Make sure your room is cool, the cooler the better, and if your feet get cold - put some socks on.
"Your body temperature should be dropping for a decent night's sleep."

And Dr Harris's final piece of advice to ensure you get a good night's sleep - no screens for an hour before bedtime.
She said: "Your brain thinks the blue screen is the sun and that gets rid of your sleep hormone.
"Switch all screens off 60 minutes before bed, including the TV, read a book or listen to the radio."

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/your-weekend-lie-could-causing-19171995