Can melatonin help you stay asleep?

Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate our sleep/wake cycles. As our bodies produce it at night-time, too much daylight – including the blue light from our digital devices – can inhibit melatonin levels and keep us awake.

So, if you struggle to fall asleep at night or stay asleep, insufficient melatonin might be the culprit. Consider minimising the level of light in your bedroom, and try a diet that’s richer in foods that contain melatonin like eggs, fish, rice, mushrooms and tart cherries. Take a look at our suggestions for foods and drinks that support better sleep.

Can drinking warm milk help you fall asleep?

Many people find that a warm drink in the hour before bed helps them relax, and milk is always a popular choice. Malted milk might be a better bet, though, as it contains melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate your sleep/wake cycles. This hormone is naturally produced by the body, but including foods rich in melatonin might help you sleep better. So, if you’re wondering what drinks help you sleep, try malted milk or even a calming herbal tea but stay away from anything containing caffeine.

Can yoga help you sleep?

Yoga is a fantastic form of exercise and a great way to improve your core strength and flexibility. But can yoga help you sleep better? Some studies show that doing yoga, or any other exercise, on a daily basis can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for longer. Yoga can also reduce stress – so if you tend to lie awake worrying about the next day’s tasks, yoga might help calm your mind.

That being said, any form of exercise undertaken too close to bedtime can actually make it harder to get to sleep. Exercise raises body temperature and stimulates the brain which may cause disturbed sleep. See what other activities might be keeping you awake.

Do baths help you sleep?

It seems intuitive that a warm bath or shower would help you sleep better simply by making you feel more relaxed and ready for bed. However, the science is a little more complicated than that. A warm bath an hour or two before bed not only helps you wind down at the end of a long day, but actually helps you cool down too as it lowers your body’s core temperature. And a lower core body temperature is conducive to better and more restful sleep. That’s also why sleep experts recommend keeping bedrooms on the cooler side.

Good-quality sleep can help us be more productive, feel happier, and even recover faster from ill health. For all kinds of reasons, making sure you get plenty of sleep every night can make a real difference to your days. That’s why it might be worth trying our home remedies for good sleep. You never know – one of them might make all the difference to you. If your sleep problems persist, however, do talk to your doctor.