Sleep is vital to general health. With the irregular hours of composers and musicians, it is not always easy to keep to a consistent routine. Establishing a regular sleeping pattern and good sleep hygiene can help.
During sleep, our bodies carry out repairs to the everyday ‘micro-injuries’ we sustain from everyday life. In order to complete these repair jobs, we need sufficient, good quality sleep. The body can cope with some disrupted sleep, but if we are chronically sleep deprived, a repair backlog can turn into a noticeable injury.
Sleep Hygiene Tips
Routine
Try and make sure you keep to a regular routine 7 days a week and on holidays.
Only go to bed when your eyes are heavy and you are nice and sleepy. Aim to allow a minimum of 6 hours for your sleep window; set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7-8 hours.
It is normal to take up to 30 minutes to fall asleep. If you don’t fall asleep, sit up or get out of bed, do a quiet, relaxing activity without a lot of light exposure. Do not use electronics.
Light
Expose yourself to natural light, especially morning light, to help synchronise your body’s master clock with the outside world. When approaching bedtime, bring the lights down low and allow for relaxation before sleep.
Naps
If you are generally a good sleeper, naps in the day can be restorative. If you choose to have a nap, limit this to 20 minutes, not too close to bedtime or you may find it difficult to fall asleep at night.
Naps may be especially important for your safety when working late hours or commuting long distances.
Make sure to take a nap in an undisturbed location.
Stimulants
Be aware of where you might be absorbing stimulants in your diet for example, caffeine, energy drinks, food, anti-histamines, medication.
Imagine you drink a cup of coffee in the morning. The caffeine enters your bloodstream, and this is when the “half-life” clock starts ticking. The half-life is the time it takes for half of a substance to be processed and eliminated by your body.
For caffeine, the half-life is about 5 hours in most adults. Here’s how it works:
Let’s say your morning coffee contained 100mg of caffeine:
- After 5 hours, you’ll have 50mg left in your system
- After another 5 hours (10 hours total), you’ll have 25 mg left
- After another 5 hours (15 hours total), you’ll have 12.5 mg left
And so on…
Think of it like cutting a cake in half repeatedly. Each time you cut, you’re left with half of what you had before, but you never quite reach zero – the pieces just get smaller and smaller.
This is why having coffee too late in the day can affect your sleep – even after 10 hours, you still have a quarter of the caffeine in your system. It’s also why some people might feel jittery for longer than others, as factors like age, medications, liver health, and even pregnancy can change how quickly your body processes caffeine.
Try to use naps to alleviate sleepiness rather than drink increased amounts of caffeine.
Nicotine can also make it harder to get the quality sleep you need – it can take longer to fall asleep, lead to waking up more frequently at night and affect how the body moves through stages of sleep.
Cannabis is a widely used sleep aid, but research in this area is still evolving, and many studies have limitations or conflicting results. This makes it important for individuals to carefully monitor their own response if they choose to use cannabis for sleep.
Hydration
Stay hydrated throughout the day but taper off fluid intake 2-3 hours before bedtime to minimise night time bathroom trips that disrupt sleep.
If you often wake up thirsty, consider using a humidifier and check if you’re breathing through your mouth while sleeping, as this can indicate other issues worth discussing with a doctor.
Remember: Your evening routine matters too. Alcohol and caffeine can affect hydration status significantly, so be particularly mindful of these in the hours before bed.
Alcohol
While alcohol might help you fall asleep initially, it disrupts your sleep cycles and leads to poorer quality rest, particularly in the second half of the night. Even moderate drinking can suppress REM sleep and cause more frequent wake-ups, which is why you often feel less refreshed after sleeping with alcohol in your system.
Exercise
Regular exercise promotes better sleep quality and makes it easier to fall asleep naturally, but timing matters – try to finish vigorous workouts at least 2-3 hours before bedtime to allow your body temperature and alertness levels to drop.
Light stretching or gentle yoga right before bed, however, can help relax your body and mind for sleep.
Food
Having a very full or very empty stomach can disrupt sleep, so aim to finish your last major meal 2-3 hours before bedtime, though a light snack (like a small piece of fruit or handful of nuts) is fine if you’re genuinely hungry.
Kiwi, tart cherries and nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios and cashews have been considered to aid in relaxation and sleep.
Avoid heavy, spicy, or fatty foods close to bedtime, as these can trigger indigestion and acid reflux when lying down.
Relaxation
Have a planned wind down time that is at least one hour before your bed time. Try to protect this time with relaxing tasks.
If you wake in the night and can’t go back to sleep try Progressive Muscle Relaxation. This is a proven technique to helps reduce tension in the body which is alerting and wakeful for a body that would like to sleep.
Screens before bed
Light can delay sleep onset. What you watch and engage in can be alerting too, and detrimental to a rested mind before sleep.
Try to limit exposure to bright light in the evenings. If you do watch something, sit at a distance from a bright screen, perhaps change the settings to reduce the brightness, and make sure what you watch is relaxing.
Temperature
Keep your bedroom uncluttered and cool. 16-18 degrees centigrade is recommended.
A warm bath close to bed time can help with sleep onset.
Make sure your environment is safe, consistent and your bed clothing and bedding is seasonally appropriate and comfortable.
Sensory Environment
Make sure you keep your sensory environment as consistent as you can (that is, light, sound, touch). You might find black out blinds or an eye mask helpful.
Expose yourself to plenty of ideally natural light upon waking. Natural light offers the highest light pressure (lux).
Things on your mind
Keeping a journal can be helpful to plan your day ahead and/or process the thoughts and events of the day. Expressing gratitude has been found to be helpful before bedtime. Mindfulness reduces stress.
Bedroom Associations
Try to keep the bedroom for sleep and sex only.
If you wake in the night and cannot go back to sleep, try Progressive Muscle Relaxation. If you still can’t sleep, leave the bedroom to somewhere quiet and return when you feel sleepy.
If you also live or work where you sleep, make clear associations of sleep space with wake space. For example, make your bed look like a sofa in the day and a bed at night. Perhaps place a screen between the bed and the rest of the room.
Sleep Disturbance Symptoms Requiring Medical Evaluation
- Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep and/or waking too early and this occurs 3 times a week and for 3 months or so and impacts on daytime functioning; typically poor concentration, tiredness, low energy, low motivation and irritability
- Sore throat upon waking that improves in the waking hours, morning headache, frequently stopping breathing/snoring/gasps for air multiple times across the night. Excessive sleepiness in the day. Cannot get through the day without a nap
- Difficulty falling asleep until the early hours of the morning or sleeping at the ‘wrong times’ and/or finding it hard to maintain a regular sleep pattern
- Unusual behaviours at night for example, cooking, sleep walking, sleep eating, sleep talking, etc
- Frequent distressing nightmares. These may have a regular repeat story or be random in nature and as a result you might develop a fear of going to sleep
- A strong urge to move your legs typically alleviated by movement
- Excessive sleepiness or ‘sleep attacks’ where you fall asleep very suddenly and without warning at any time. You may also experience sudden temporary muscle weakness or loss of muscular control
Note: These symptoms can significantly impact daily life and overall health. A doctor or other healthcare provider can properly evaluate these symptoms and determine appropriate treatment.
Driving
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) must be informed if excessive sleepiness is having, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on driving. It is the legal duty of the licence holder to notify DVLA of any medical condition that may affect safe driving.
How and Where to Seek Help
Step 1: Explore education by experts (self-help)
The Sleep Charity is a good place to start for sleep-related concerns for people of all ages: thesleepcharity.org.uk
There is also good information on the NHS Better Health website: nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep
Step 2: Try a short-term solution (free, GP)
If you’re experiencing persistent sleep problems, the recommended first step is to consult your GP for a proper assessment. Your doctor will initially provide guidance on sleep hygiene practices, which form the foundation of good sleep health.
However, if these measures prove insufficient and your sleep difficulties are significantly impacting your daily life, causing notable distress, your doctor may consider additional treatment options.
For many people, digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended as an effective treatment approach.
In some cases, your GP might also determine that a short course of sleep medication is appropriate. The choice and duration of any prescribed medication will be carefully tailored to your specific situation, taking into account factors such as your age, sex, and any other health conditions you may have.
It’s crucial to emphasise that sleep medications should only be taken under proper medical supervision.
Taking unprescribed melatonin, using sleep medications from uncertain sources, or borrowing sleep aids prescribed to friends or family members can be dangerous. These might not only be ineffective but could potentially worsen your sleep problems. Sleep medication requires careful assessment and monitoring by a qualified healthcare professional to ensure both safety and effectiveness.
Information about Treatment from a GP for insomnia: nhs.uk/conditions/insomnia
Step 3: Request a referral via your GP (free, NHS)
When sleep problems persist – specifically occurring three or more times per week for three months or longer – and notably affect your daily functioning, it may be appropriate to discuss a specialist referral with your GP.
The NHS Sleep Medicine services offer specialised care through their multidisciplinary teams, bringing together experts who specialise in managing complex and chronic sleep difficulties.
These specialist services are well-equipped to support people dealing with long-term sleep problems, particularly those complicated by ongoing mental or physical health conditions. The care delivery is flexible, with many services now offering remote consultations where appropriate. While some sleep problems may require in-person visits to the sleep clinic for assessment or treatment, others can be effectively managed through remote care options.
Find local sleep medicine services: nhs.uk/service-search/other-health-services/sleep-medicine
Step 4: Seek private help (paid)
If you require private support with your sleep it is recommended to contact a specialist health professional who has expertise in working with sleep disorders. With regards to insomnia disorder, you can find a private CBT-I practitioner from International CBT-I Directory: cbti.directory
This section has been written and prepared by Dr Gabriella Romano, Clinical Psychologist/CBT-I Practitioner. Founder and Director at Sleep Psychologist:
sleeppsychologist.co.uk
Night Club is an initiative of The Liminal Space, developed with particular support from Impact on Urban Health, Wellcome Trust, Oxford University’s Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute and Co-op. Sessions are run by sleep experts: night-club.org
