#uk-sleep-patterns

#uk-sleep-patterns

If your blinds and curtains are open in the morning as you wake, this can have a positive impact on sleep. A study last year found that getting sunlight before 10am improved sleep quality. Light at night can stop you releasing melatonin, which tells your body it's bedtime. But we need sunlight in the daytime, especially in the morning. It helps our bodies set their biological clocks.

"I started getting into the frame of mind most people get sucked into. I worried, 'What's going on? Is there something wrong with me?'" he says. That fear of not being able to sleep is a phenomenon called "sleep anxiety," says Orma, who went on to become a specialist in insomnia treatment. Left untreated, that anxiety can prevent people from actually falling asleep. "The more you focus on it, the less chance you'll sleep, which then makes you more anxious. That's the cycle that spins," he says.

I tested AGZ's chocolate and mint flavors, which come with a frother, and you can blend the powder with water or milk, either warm or cold (although I think it tastes the best with milk, like a frothy hot cocoa). The drink doesn't taste overly sweet and has a nice, rich chocolate taste. The mix is melatonin-free, instead with adaptogens, herbs, and minerals, including magnesium, vitamin B6, L-theanine, ashwagandha, and calming herbs.

"It is not like, that, night owls are doomed," said research fellow Sina Kianersi of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, who led the study. "The challenge is the mismatch between your internal clock and typical daily schedules" that makes it harder to follow heart-healthy behaviors.And that's fixable, added Kianersi, who describes himself as "sort of a night owl" who feels a boost in "my analytical thinking" after about 7 or 8 at night.

Sleep banking is essentially extending your normal sleep hours in the nights leading up to a known period of sleep deprivation. On the face of it, it appears unlikely banking sleep could counter the decreased alertness and other cognitive decrements that we experience when deprived of sleep, or stop that strong sensation we get when our body wants sleep.

It's normal to feel sluggish during the winter. Cold temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight can mean less time outdoors and more time staring at our screens. For some people, these cold-weather habits may contribute to a sleep disruption, known as winter insomnia. This isn't a clinical condition, but it might begin or worsen during the winter months.