How to sleep: Forget sleeping pills, lavender could save you from sleepless nights

One in 10 Brits have asked their GP for sleeping pills after struggling through one too many sleepless nights. But experts insist medication isn't the answer and we're much better off finding a way to natural sleep by cleaning up our 'sleep hygiene'.

We spoke to an expert to find out what we're doing wrong when we turn out the lights, and whether better nighttime routines, old fashioned lavender remedies and a technology ban could really cure our insomnia.

"Sleep is an active process that you have to learn to do as a skill," says sleep expert Kathleen McGraph.

"And there are a huge number of factors that affect it, from our metabolic rate to hormonal changes to light to room temperature."

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There's been increasing concern that our obsession with modern technology and compulsion to check emails at all times of the day and night is ruining our circadian rhythms (the natural body clock that makes us sleepy at night and wakes us as the sun comes up).

In a survey by Potter's Herbals, 44 per cent of people blamed their smartphones for bad sleep. Others said they couldn't nod off as they lie in bed fretting about work, money and body image. And the problem's growing.

"Children aren't learning how to sleep properly," says Kathleen. "And most of the sleep issues adults have are because they learned bad habits when they were children so it's really important to get your children sleeping well when they're young."

Sleep hygiene

"Bedrooms should be for sleep and for sex. Nothing else. If yours looks like the control centre of the Starship Enterprise, no wonder you're not sleeping well," she adds.

Kathleen also advises having a hot bath and keeping your room cool. "This really works because a drop in your body's core temperature tells it that it's time to sleep. So you're nice and warm in the bath and then you enter a colder room, which decreases your body temperature."

"And wear bed socks. They really work!"

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Routine

We all know how important it is for babies and children to have a night time routine but it's also key for adults too. Starting children off with one when they're very young sets them up well to continue this through their lives.

"It may involve a bath, rubbing on body oil, reading or listening to calming music, but it should just help make a differentiation between your busy day and calm night."

Leave technology outside the door, don't have any LED lights flashing and dim the lights in the hour before bedtime.

Sleeping pills

"Sleeping pills aren't always the answer," says Kathleen. "Natural sleep is far more beneficial to the body and it's essential for so many things. Children grow better when they get good sleep and there's so much evidence that shows lack of it causes serious health conditions such as heart disease and obesity.

"But if we're worrying so much about not getting enough sleep, it leads to a vicious circle where we're even less likely to get enough.

"Instead, focusing on the benefits is far more useful. Sleep gives you the chance to detox your brain and body, making you feel and look better.

"Good natural sleep will see you wake up feeling refreshed. Often with sleeping pills this isn't the case. So even if you need them for a short period of time, they're not a solution, particularly in the long term."

Alternative remedies

In a sleep study conducted by Aspen Clinic Research for This Works, lavender was found to be a powerful sleep aid.

The study investigated the effect of lavender using a deep sleep pillow spray and a placebo on a group of 217 people aged over 12. It found that the spray improved sleep significantly when compared to the placebo in terms of falling asleep faster, sleeping more deeply and feeling less worried about being able to get to sleep.

Participants also found that they felt more alert when they woke up in the morning and also during the day.

"Many products that contain lavender that we use to help sleep don't work," says Anna Persuad, MD of This Works and a trained scientist. "Which might make some people think it's just a fable, but we've found real lavender to be extremely effective.

"Many 'lavender' products are made using a synthetic lavender scent, which doesn't work in the same way as the natural product. And most often the dosages are far below what's necessary for it to have a soporific effect.

"The response from people who've found the sleep spray a sleep saver has been overwhelming. And we really thinking this is an important issue we need people to consider more, hopefully before they start suffering themselves."