Four tips from Manchester's 'sleep lab' doctor you should be following if you’re struggling as clocks go back

The clocks change this weekend offering the chance to get a precious extra hour in bed. And a leading sleep doctor from Manchester has issued four simple tips to follow for those who struggle to get a good night's sleep.

Dr Maria Mascareno, Clinical Lead for Sleep Medicine at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust - one of the oldest and largest sleep services in the country, has shared her top tips to follow to start getting better sleep. She said: “We offer support for everything from narcolepsy, to sleep walking, by analysing patients’ sleeping patterns and using specialist monitoring equipment. We even use a ‘sleep laboratory’, where we track a patient’s brain waves and oxygen levels.

“There are some extreme cases where people need specialist support, like night terrors or involuntary sleep episodes, but for the most part people could improve their lives by following these simple tips.”

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It’s key that you build a consistent sleep routine for the whole week. Our sleep cycle is structured around 24 hours because our body is following an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm. This is your body’s way of regulating itself so everything runs on time.

We need to sleep at least seven to eight hours for a healthy sleep pattern. Less than this can cause sleep deficiency which can affect your quality of life, emotional state and your relationships with others due to mood fluctuations.

To set a successful routine:

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, keep the same bedtime routine and make sure your alarm is set at the same time each day, including weekends.

Avoid afternoon naps, if