Switch off your screens to ensure a good night's rest

The key to that all important night's sleep is switching off electronics an hour before going to bed, suggest experts

If you find it difficult to switch off and go to sleep, the answer could lie in turning off your TV, computer and mobile phone an hour before bed. 'Technology has invaded the bedroom,' says Dr Charles Czeisler, of Harvard Medical School. 'Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported they routinely get less sleep than they need.' Artificial glare emitted by electronics in the home and over-stimulation of the brain have both been blamed for wrecking sleep patterns. 'Light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts normal sleep patterns to a later hour,' continues Dr Czeisler.

Nine out of ten people reported using electronics an hour before turning out the lights, while one in ten people in their 20s admitted to being routinely woken during the night by a phone call, text message or email.

The worst activities are video games, using mobiles and surfing the internet, according to a survey by the U.S. National Sleep Foundation.

Still suffering from lack of sleep? Check out our good sleep guide for some top tips.

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