The must-have sleep products for a better night’s rest, according to experts

For most of us, sleep has proved more elusive than ever throughout the pandemic, and with the stress of the cost of living crisis, a heatwave to end all heatwaves and life feeling more chaotic than ever before, it's no surprise we're a nation of tired people.

According to research by King’s College Hospital London, 63 per cent of us have been having worse sleep, just when we desperately need its energising and calming impact.

“Anxiety and adrenalin both impact our sleep, and it becomes a vicious circle,” says psychotherapist Mark Newey. “We often think we don’t need to make an effort to sleep, but we do, especially if we’re stressed. We’re in the midst of an insomnia crisis, and we need to take it seriously.”

So, how do we get more shut-eye? Here are some sleep-inducing tactics to add to your toolkit...

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1) Don't lie in

When you’re shattered, it’s tempting to snooze, but getting up at the same time regulates your body clock. “Our bodies love consistency,” says sleep behaviour expert James Wilson at The Sleep Geek. “A consistent wake-up time leads to a consistent sleep time.”

2) Detox your environment

“Keep light, noise and temperature consistent overnight,” says James. “If a light flicks off, or your TV times out, your brain registers something has changed and it thinks it needs to wake up. Switch off devices before bed, use blackout blinds and consider playing white noise, which can help drown out other bothersome noise, such as street sounds. Free app myNoise (on iOS and Android), has a selection of white and rain noise tracks.”

3) Relax into bedtime

Spend at least 45 minutes winding down before you sleep. “Focus on dropping your heart rate and helping your body decompress,” says James. This might involve reading, adult colouring or listening to a guided meditation on an app like Calm or Headspace. Avoid watching videos on devices, because the blue light revs up your body clock.

4) Write a list

Do you wake in the night, worrying about unfinished jobs? Sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan suggests writing your to-do lists at the end of the day. “You’re telling your brain ‘I know what I need to do tomorrow, so I can leave it behind me now,” she says. This helps you feel in control, which helps you sleep.

5) Get an early night

“Ever heard the old-fashioned saying that an hour before midnight is worth two after?” asks Dr Nerina, whose book, Tired But Wired, helps readers overcome sleep problems. “Your best quality of sleep is obtained when your circadian rhythm (the internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle) is at its lowest point, usually between 10 pm and 5 am. The phase before midnight is when levels of stress hormones start to drop off and we get a substantial hit of deep sleep.”

6) Keep it cool

“To sleep well, there needs to be a fractional temperature difference between our body and brain – a warm body and a cool head,” says Dr Nerina. “Experiment with open windows, duvet thickness and choice of bedclothes. The key is to keep warm in a cool room.”

The Closer team tried a range of sleep aids to see which ones really stood up to the test of improving our Zzzzs...

SHOP: The best products to help you sleep, chosen by team Closer

These tips should help you drift off, but if your sleep continues to worsen over a long period, you should consult your doctor.

Suzy says, "While the occasional night of poor sleep is not a huge cause for concern, if you continually find it hard to fall asleep, frequently wake up in the night, or spend hours tossing and turning, it’s worth consulting a GP for further advice.”