On this week’s show, Karl is going to be putting you to sleep – well, hopefully not in the next thirty minutes or so, but if you’re having trouble getting a good night’s rest, Karl speaks to sleep disorder expert, Deirdre McSwiney for the solutions and science behind sleep problems.

“20% of the population suffers from insomnia at some point in their lives,” explains Deirdre. “Tired but wired is a major factor with modern society.”

Also joining Karl on the show is Paul de Loughry, a long-time sleep sufferer who says his biggest problem is waking up between 2-3am and staring at the ceiling for hours not being able to get back to sleep.

“You need to set aside a period in the evening after dinner and use a few minutes to write down your thoughts about the day and dump it,” explains Deirdre. “Get them down on paper and forget about it. You have to make your bedroom an oasis of peace.”

So, don’t forget, the three key tips for effective sleeping:
- Look at the environment in your bedroom making sure it is cool and dark with all screens out of room
- Lifestyle: no caffeine after 5pm and make sure you exercise
- Brain dump after dinner time, reflecting on your day and preparing for the next day ahead and leave it there on the paper in the kitchen

Contact Karl with any health and fitness questions on [email protected] or on Twitter @KarlHenryPT.

The Real Health podcast with Karl Henry is in association with Laya Healthcare

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