5 ways to sleep better tonight

More than half of Australians believe mental wellbeing and sleep are important parts of better health. And yet, most of us aren't sleeping enough.

To find a solution, we had a chat with sleep specialist John Toomey. Here, he shares some of his gems of wisdom about why we’re all so tired, and how to get a rejuvenating night’s rest.

1. Create a cool, dark sleeping space. Try to create an optimal sleep environment. Airing your bedroom before going to sleep is always beneficial.

2. Make sure you’re not too full. Refrain from having a big meal around 3 hours before going to sleep.

3. Unwind with music. Try to listen to calming music before going to sleep – nature sounds tend to be a great sleep remedy.

4. Stay well hydrated. Being well hydrated is very important for good sleep. Thirst reflex is intended to let us know when we need to drink. A lot of people have lost their thirst reflex, and that could be one of the reasons why people wake up at night without any particular reason they are aware of – because they are dehydrated. Adults should drink around 1 litre of water per 25 kg of their body weight. However, if they’re exercising the water amount should be increased.

5. Meditate before bed. If you haven’t gotten into practising mindfulness and are having problems with falling asleep, maybe that’s something that could work for you. Focusing your attention on the present moment proves to be an effective method of calming your mind, which could be helpful in letting you fall asleep.