“OVER THE PAST year no one has escaped from sleep issues. Everyone has been affected – all age groups, male and female.”

Whether you’re usually a brilliant sleeper or lie awake at night counting sheep, there’s a high chance that you will have experienced sleep issues at one stage or another over the last 12 months, says sleep specialist Breege Leddy. 

And while a night or two of ‘bad’ sleep is something most of us experience every once in a while, getting to sleep and staying asleep can become a huge difficulty when these problems persist. But what can be done to help? We asked five readers to send us their sleep dilemmas, which we then passed on to Breege for her expert advice.

From night sweats during the menopause to waking up regularly during the night, here’s what Breege had to say…

Dilemma #1: Is my pre-sleep routine actually helping?

I have a lot of rituals before bed, including having a shower, doing my skin care, reading and putting my phone on sleep mode. The whole thing starts about two hours before bed. I wake up multiple times during the night and find it very hard to get to sleep. – Rebecca, Dublin

Breege’s advice

Rebecca has a very busy ritual in the lead up to bedtime. I think she may be doing too much. It’s important to remember that the harder you try to sleep, the less likely it is going to happen. You can’t make yourself sleep if the need for sleep is not actually there. 

I’d much prefer if she was watching TV in the run up to bedtime, or doing whatever she wants to chill out. But I don’t want her to do with it the view that it’s actually going to make her fall asleep. If she’s not asleep within about 20 minutes or so, she’d be better off getting up, going into a living area and continuing to read, watch TV or whatever she wants to do to wait until she feels sleepy.

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Dilemma #2: My partner’s snoring makes it hard to switch off – is there anything I can do?

I go to bed exhausted every night. I sleep well most of the time, but often wake up due to my partner’s snoring and can’t go back to sleep. Once I’m awake, I start to worry about all the things I’ve to do and about my family etc. This leaves me very tired during the day, and I depend on coffee to keep me going. – Dave, Dublin

Breege’s advice

It sounds like Dave’s problem is firstly due to his environment (his partner’s snoring). He should try some comfortable ear plugs to help eliminate this. If he continues to wake for long periods during the night he should try some thought blocking techniques like imagery, body scans or progressive muscle relaxation.

He shouldn’t rely on caffeine to keep him going during the day – it sounds like it’s a crutch at this stage. Caffeine is a stimulant that takes a long time to leave the system and can cause increased wakes during the night. I’d advise he reduces his intake to two caffeinated products a day before 2pm or 3pm.

Dilemma #3: The menopause is affecting my sleep – how can I manage it?

I was told I was menopausal before Christmas, and have been having interrupted sleep and reaching for my phone since. I’ve also been experiencing night sweats and been having very vivid and tiring dreams. - Elaine, Dublin

Breege’s advice

Sleep disturbances are common in about 25% of women during menopause. For women who are experiencing vasomotor symptoms, like night sweats, there are actually physical changes in the sleep architecture for these women. 

For Elaine, it’s important to make sure that she keeps routine during the day. I would advise her to talk to her GP because HRT may alleviate the vasomotor symptoms, and her sleep may actually go back to being okay. Core body temperature plays a huge role in the sleep-wake cycle, so keeping the bedroom nice and cool and wearing cotton pyjamas to bed may help.

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Dilemma #4: Is using my phone before bed affecting my quality of sleep?

I go to bed by 10pm, but I sometimes stay awake for a while before I try to sleep. I have no bedtime rituals, but using my phone before I go to sleep is my worst sleep habit. I use my phone as my alarm and always have it charging next to my bed. I’ve trouble falling asleep and trouble staying asleep. - Katie, Kildare

Breege’s advice

Going on your phone while you’re in bed is a very bad habit. When we start to do this, we start to break down the bed and sleep connection. I’d recommend moving the phone away from the bed as much as possible so if Katie wakes up, she can’t reach out and get it.

Again, if you’re awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed. I wouldn’t suggest going on your phone. Watching TV or reading a book are better options. Handheld devices emit blue light, and this interferes with the production of sleep hormones. With TVs, blue light isn’t as concentrated, and you have more control over the content you’re consuming.

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Dilemma #5: How can I relieve my restless legs?

Despite having a very regular sleep schedule, I still struggle to get to sleep. I could be lying awake for up to two hours and tend to overthink about work. I also suffer with restless legs and have tried going for walks late in the evening to alleviate it, but it doesn’t seem to make any difference. – Cara, Co Down

Breege’s advice

Restless legs are very common in women. It’s a hard disorder to get treated but with the guidance of a GP or specialist, medication can treat it. While walking can help, I’d recommend making sure you don’t exercise too late in the evening, because the body needs recovery after the exercise, you certainly don’t want to do that too close to bedtime.

Cara may need to go to bed a little bit later to help her sleep if she hasn’t built up sleep pressure. If you’re overthinking, spend five to 10 minutes every evening writing down how your day went so these thoughts don’t filter into your head when you’re lying in bed trying to sleep. 

If you are struggling to achieve a good night’s sleep, try to implement a good sleep routine and seek advice from your local pharmacist.

Nytol One-A-Night is a clinically proven night-time sleep aid to help people suffering from temporary sleep disturbance and can be taken for up to seven nights to help get your sleep pattern back on track.

Nytol One-A-Night 50mg tablets contain diphenhydramine hydrochloride. An aid to the relief of temporary sleep disturbances in adults. For further information, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the leaflet.