What you do - or don’t do - during the day can have a profound effect on your sleep at night, explains psychotherapist and sleep expert Heather Darwall-Smith.
“We often think of sleep problems as something that starts when we get into bed, but in reality, how we live during the day plays a huge role in how well we sleep at night,” she says.
“If you're lying awake at 3am staring at the ceiling, trying to will yourself into sleep, stop fighting. Sleep isn’t something you can force.”
Heather, whose new book How To Be Awake is out now, explains that sleep involves two processes firstly, your circadian rhythm, the internal body clock that tells you when to feel awake and sleepy based on light, movement and routine, and secondly your homeostatic sleep pressure. This is linked to a chemical called adenosine, which builds in your brain from when you wake, increasing your need for sleep.
“The longer you're awake and active, the stronger this sleep pressure becomes,” she says. “At night, high adenosine levels help you fall asleep naturally.
“Both processes work together across the 24 hours of the day and night to open a window for sleep. If you haven't built enough sleep pressure or your body clock is out of sync, sleep can feel elusive no matter how much you want it.”
In addition, our relationships help shape our nervous system and can also impact sleep, she explains. “A difficult conversation, unresolved tension, or feeling unseen can all follow us into the night.”
“So instead of obsessing over how to sleep better, flip it on its head to think: How can I be awake in a way that makes sleep happen naturally?”
Here Heather offers her advice on how to do it...
GET UP AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY
Heather explains that your body clock thrives on consistency, so when wake-up time shifts sleeping in after a restless night or waking early some days and late on others it throws off the entire sleep-wake cycle. A stable morning wake time sets the timing for sleep pressure to build correctly, so by evening your body is naturally ready to rest.
“This single habit anchors your circadian rhythm, reinforcing when you should feel awake and when your body should start winding down for sleep,” she says.
She suggests sticking to a regular wake-up time, exposing yourself to daylight as soon as possible (this tells your brain it’s time to be awake); and resisting the urge to make up for lost sleep, as extra time in bed can weaken sleep pressure, making the next night harder.
START THE DAY MINDFULLY
If you wake to a blaring alarm and then scroll through your phone before getting up, the first thing your body experiences each morning is a stress response, and you're setting yourself up for a night of restless sleep, warns Heather.
“Your circadian rhythm relies on clear signals in the morning consistent timing, light exposure, and movement all anchor this process to work in tandem with signals 12-14 hours later that start the countdown to sleep,” she explains.
As well as getting up at the same time every day, she recommends stepping outside or sitting by a window as soon as possible, as morning light anchors your body clock.
Swap your alarm for a sunrise clock, or set a gentler tone that doesn’t make your heart race, and do your best not to feel rushed.
She explains: “A calmer morning sets the tone for a more balanced day, which supports better sleep.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583834974/1742882483/articles/9nUxULqbrjPmwrAaqrsys/0880321173.jpg]
GIVE YOUR BRAIN A BREAK
If you fill every moment of the day with tasks and constant input, your brain won't get the chance to slow down. So at bedtime, instead of resting, your mind goes into cognitive overload and will proce...
“We often think of sleep problems as something that starts when we get into bed, but in reality, how we live during the day plays a huge role in how well we sleep at night,” she says.
“If you're lying awake at 3am staring at the ceiling, trying to will yourself into sleep, stop fighting. Sleep isn’t something you can force.”
Heather, whose new book How To Be Awake is out now, explains that sleep involves two processes firstly, your circadian rhythm, the internal body clock that tells you when to feel awake and sleepy based on light, movement and routine, and secondly your homeostatic sleep pressure. This is linked to a chemical called adenosine, which builds in your brain from when you wake, increasing your need for sleep.
“The longer you're awake and active, the stronger this sleep pressure becomes,” she says. “At night, high adenosine levels help you fall asleep naturally.
“Both processes work together across the 24 hours of the day and night to open a window for sleep. If you haven't built enough sleep pressure or your body clock is out of sync, sleep can feel elusive no matter how much you want it.”
In addition, our relationships help shape our nervous system and can also impact sleep, she explains. “A difficult conversation, unresolved tension, or feeling unseen can all follow us into the night.”
“So instead of obsessing over how to sleep better, flip it on its head to think: How can I be awake in a way that makes sleep happen naturally?”
Here Heather offers her advice on how to do it...
GET UP AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY
Heather explains that your body clock thrives on consistency, so when wake-up time shifts sleeping in after a restless night or waking early some days and late on others it throws off the entire sleep-wake cycle. A stable morning wake time sets the timing for sleep pressure to build correctly, so by evening your body is naturally ready to rest.
“This single habit anchors your circadian rhythm, reinforcing when you should feel awake and when your body should start winding down for sleep,” she says.
She suggests sticking to a regular wake-up time, exposing yourself to daylight as soon as possible (this tells your brain it’s time to be awake); and resisting the urge to make up for lost sleep, as extra time in bed can weaken sleep pressure, making the next night harder.
START THE DAY MINDFULLY
If you wake to a blaring alarm and then scroll through your phone before getting up, the first thing your body experiences each morning is a stress response, and you're setting yourself up for a night of restless sleep, warns Heather.
“Your circadian rhythm relies on clear signals in the morning consistent timing, light exposure, and movement all anchor this process to work in tandem with signals 12-14 hours later that start the countdown to sleep,” she explains.
As well as getting up at the same time every day, she recommends stepping outside or sitting by a window as soon as possible, as morning light anchors your body clock.
Swap your alarm for a sunrise clock, or set a gentler tone that doesn’t make your heart race, and do your best not to feel rushed.
She explains: “A calmer morning sets the tone for a more balanced day, which supports better sleep.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583834974/1742882483/articles/9nUxULqbrjPmwrAaqrsys/0880321173.jpg]
GIVE YOUR BRAIN A BREAK
If you fill every moment of the day with tasks and constant input, your brain won't get the chance to slow down. So at bedtime, instead of resting, your mind goes into cognitive overload and will proce...
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Leicester Mercury (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 25, 2025