PREVIEW

The winter blues: Four steps to a better night's sleep. Many people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the winter months and this can disrupt your sleep. If you suffer from SAD during the dark, cold winter months, you may find it difficult to sleep at night. This could be due to a lack of sunlight and exercise, as well as low mood. Sammy Margo, Sleep Expert at Dreams says: "The lack of sunlight is thought to stop the hypothalamus from working as usual, which affects the production of melatonin - our so-called 'sleepy hormone’." And continues: "This increase in melatonin can cause people with SAD to feel excessively tired, often leading to more daytime naps and longer sleep at night.” Sammy shares four things you can do to wake up feeling energised in the morning: Wear lighter pyjamas. ”It may seem counterintuitive to wear lighter PJs at the coolest times of year, but when overheating can disrupt your sleep so much on top of any SAD struggles, shorts and a T-shirt are the way to go.” Create a tropical vibe. ”When the weather isn't immediately bringing the Bahamas to mind, it's time to bring the tropics to your indoor space. Fill your room with scents that remind you of your favourite beachy holidays - think coconut, lime, or eucalyptus - to mimic that feeling of dozing off in the sun.” Bring in the light. ”These devices gradually brighten to emulate the sun rising, replicating a more stable day/night cycle. You can also use light trickery as soon as you wake up, with the use of a therapy light box.” Stretch. ”Mini exercises before bed, like a quick 5-minute stretching session or walk around the house, help to relax your muscles and feel more ready to set off to dreamland. You don't even need to leave the house in the dreary darkness to get the best pre-bedtime activity in.”
Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT