The process of going to bed starts well before actually going to sleep

Our new daily routine, dictated to us by Covid-19, has also impacted on our sleep. For some people, working from home means more flexibility in how they plan their days, more exercise, more time for themselves and more sleep. But, for large numbers of people, this mental and physical stress is resulting in poorer quality sleep. We no longer have fixed daily routines, our fitness classes and club training sessions aren't happening and we are eating more frequently as soon as we get hungry. Getting tired at the right time, going to bed and then waking up again at the right time requires a complex interaction between hormones and biological processes. If this interaction isn't right, our sleep is affected.

There are two main factors determining whether we want to go to sleep or stay up. The first is our inner clock, known as our “circadian rhythm”. The second factor is sleep pressure, i.e. the need to go to sleep. This is down to a chemical substance called adenosine, which builds up in our brain.

The circadian rhythm is like an internal 24-hour clock in our brain. It uses signals to control all regions of the brain and parts of the body. It acts like a kind of biological pacemaker and controls not only our sleep/wake cycle but also other rhythmic patterns like our core temperature, the times at which we prefer to eat, our metabolic rate and the release of numerous hormones. This circadian rhythm differs a lot from one person to the next; around 40 percent of the population are morning people, often known as early birds. They like to get up early and are most productive during the early hours of the day. The opposite of this are evening people or night owls. They prefer to go to bed late and don't like having to get up early in the morning. So they are not fully productive in the mornings. The remaining 30 percent of people are a mix of the two but tend towards being night owls.

To communicate this rhythm to the rest of the body, our brain uses a hormone called melatonin, which is controlled mainly by light. It is released during the night and indicates to the body that it's dark and therefore time to go to sleep. At the break of dawn, the production of melatonin stops entirely, which in turn indicates to the body that it's slowly time to wake up. Meal times, exercise and mental stress also influence the production of melatonin. So it’s important that we get sufficient fresh air and daylight during the day, avoid strong light in the evening and, for example, spend less time in front of screens.

The second signal, which impacts on our sleep patterns, is sleep pressure, which builds up in our brain. This is all down to a chemical substance called adenosine, the concentration of which increases continuously during the day. Imagine it like a barometer, which measures the time from when we wake up. As adenosine builds up, we increasingly feel the need to sleep. This pressure is at its greatest 12 to 16 hours after we wake up.

There are plenty of tips for how to get better sleep. It’s important to maintain good sleep hygiene, a cool and fresh bedroom, avoid stodgy meals and caffeine in the evening. Developing a routine for going to bed that works for you is also very useful in achieving good sleep. This routine should be individual and must work for you. Following this recurring routine should tune your body into a cycle and prepare it for sleep. You should reduce your heart rate and breathing, dispel all negative thoughts and relax the body. Good routines for going to bed do not involve screens or social media and should be calming. As soon as you become accustomed to this routine, your body will switch over to sleep mode once you start the routine.

Routines for going to bed could involve a gentle walk, a warm bath, reading a book or doing a little yoga. Cleaning your teeth and getting changed are also part of the routine.