Diet and sleep

Clocks went forward last night, one less hours sleep - how is your sleep? We spend one third of our life asleep but how much attention do we give it?

I am always looking at food and how it impacts our lives, positively or negatively. I read an article recently in The Guardianabout how our gut might affect our sleep.

I used to find it difficult to fall asleep and often if I woke in the night it was hard to fall back asleep. I understand that it is different for eveyone but here are some recent changes I have made that have had a positive effect on the quality of my sleep.

1. Timing - Most days I finish eating at 6pm and don't eat again until 8am. I was advised by a Nutritional Therapist to allow for this 14 hour 'fast' as it allows my body to shut down. My body can rest fully during the night and not worry about metabolising food. I thought I would be hungry before I went to bed but not at all. Now my natural body clock is set to this.

2. Essential oils - I love the smell of doTerraessential oils. I diffuse them around the house and use them topically for many common ailments. At night time, in our house, we all have our bottle of diluted 'serenity' by our beds. My children have their own bottles (diluted more than adults) and apply it themselves to their wrists and the soles of their feet before bed, occasionally they convince me to massage it into their feet! I put the diluted oil on the soles of my feet and on my wrists, a few deep breaths and I am ready to fall asleep, I re apply if I wake during the night.

3. Cheese - I love my Irish cheeses, 'eating cheese at night will give you nightmares' urban tale or science? - all I can confirm is that for me, I have a better nights sleep if I don't eat cheese (or anything) just before I go to bed. Now I enjoy my cheeseboard earlier in the day.

4. Fermented foods - Regular consumption of fermented foods, as you can see by the link to the article above, affects our mood, digestion, overall health and ability to get a full nights sleep. I regularly run cookery classes on Fermentation, check herefor the next one!

5. Mobile phone - I no longer sleep with the mobile phone beside the bed so from the time I get into bed (usually 10ish) until my alarm goes (usually 6) experts say it should be at least 3 feet away while sleeping, due to the radiation it emits.

Do you have any tips on how to get a good nights sleep? Would love to hear them.