The Solutions: To dive into a quality sleep at night, the body must have experienced at least one stage of active alertness during the day. Physical exercise is therefore an excellent remedy. According to a study at the Stanford University in America, four sessions sports per week result an improvement in the quality of deep sleep by more than 65%. But don’t worry about busting out the Pilates machine every day; walking at a brisk pace for half an hour in the morning, for example, is enough.

Another way is to track snoring habits, as those whose friends snore tend to get the worst sleep – naturally, since noise is one of the worst enemies of rest. This also means that they can be suffering from sleep apnoea, caused by repeated respiratory arrest. Undernourished with oxygen, sufferers (nearly 10% of adults) indeed have difficulty diving into a deep sleep. To breathe better at night, try a series of exercises for your nostrils or purchase snore-preventing mechanisms at you local pharmacy. Failing which, and in the case that your lack of sleep is resulting in headaches and drowsiness in the day, consult a specialist in sleep therapy centres. And if your legs are affected by involuntary shaking or feelings of electric shock, talk to your doctor. This nocturnal agitation is often the result of iron deficiency. Good news is, this can be supplemented in just a few months.
 
One additional trick Do not allow pets into your bed. During their REM sleep, cats and dogs tend to make sudden movements that could disrupt our sleep.
 
The right menu “The Mediterranean diet is the most appropriate,” says Dr Rougier. At lunch and dinner, alternate white meat and fish rich in omega-3, accompanied by vegetables sprinkled with a little olive oil. Up the intake of eggplant – they contain lithium that soothes anxiety – and beans which include high levels of magnesium, which reduces nervousness. For dessert, opt for fruits – the more colourful, the better.

Read more from our ‘Sleep Report’:

I have trouble falling asleep

My nights are hacked up 

Three myths about sleep

 

Sylvia Vaisman