What you should – and shouldn’t –do two hours before you want to sleep

Sleep is as essential to humans as breathing and eating and, ideally, a third of our lives is spent doing it. But for terrible sleepers like me – I was four before I slept through (and with five siblings my parents weren’t novices) – getting the ideal quota can be a challenge. As an adult, I’ve taken to putting my entire head under the pillow, which beats eye masks and earplugs though looks bizarre. 

I’ve tried every (useless) over-the-counter remedy and have begged GPs for sleeping pills. Even – look away now pharmacists – desperately necking Night Nurse. Yes I’m aware of “sleep hygiene”, thanks. I’m just ridiculously bad at practising it.

Coffee, night wees and “doom scrolling” are well-documented sleep saboteurs, but who honestly cuts them out? I grilled the experts on what we can actually get away with, and when, to avoid wrecking our beauty sleep. Here are the rules…

Caffeine intake

Stop it: Eight to nine hours before bed

Only idiots drink lattes in bed, surely? Though I’ve foolishly downed espresso martinis at 2am, then wondered why I’m wired at dawn. 

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, great for warding off fatigue, not ideal for sleep. Coffee, tea and mugs of cocoa should be drunk before 2pm. 

“Caffeine has an approximate six hour half-life, meaning it takes that long to metabolise half the caffeine, leaving half still in your system to keep you awake,” explains Dr Lindsay Browning, the author of Navigating Sleeplessness.

“People metabolise caffeine differently, with some more susceptible to its effect, but it can reduce deep sleep according to a recent meta-analysis. If your bedtime is 10-11pm, stop at 2pm.”

Maz Packham, a nutritional therapist of W-Wellness, recommends herbal teas containing valerian or passionflower. “Research suggests these sedative herbs may increase levels of GABA [gamma-aminobutyric acid] in the brain, a neurotransmitter promoting relaxation.”

Eating dinner 

Stop it: Three hours before bed

Tucking into a large meal can cause sleep-disrupting indigestion, and research suggests avoiding evening meals within three hours of bedtime. Packham explains: “Processing food is a metabolic activity – digestion requires energy, encouraging blood flow to the digestive organs – and thus increases chances of keeping you awake. Also, acid reflux can strike when you lay down, again impacting your ability to fall asleep.”

Red meat takes longer to digest, she says, as do raw foods and vegetables (despite being healthy), so lighter meals with lean protein,  like chicken or fish are better.

“Foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan (such as turkey, chicken, pumpkin seeds and walnuts) and vitamin B6 (chickpeas, bananas, salmon) are great to support sleep. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin which then gets converted into melatonin, and the body needs B6 to do this. Magnesium is also an important mineral involved in relaxation and supports sleep, so look to include leafy greens, nuts, seeds and legumes in the diet.” Avoid cracking into the Tony’s as chocolate (especially darker varieties) contains caffeine.

Drinking alcohol

Stop it: Three hours if several units; 10 minutes for nightcaps