Seven-day sleep makeover Written by Hannah Ebelthite, Zest magazine - updated by Dr Yacoob Omar Carrim
Seven-day sleep makeover Written by Hannah Ebelthite , Zest magazine We all know what makes for a good night's sleep - sticking to a routine, avoiding stimulants, learning to relax. But a warm bath, a cup of camomile tea and a sniff of lavender often aren't enough to help us nod off. And unfortunately, next-day grogginess and irritability aren't the only consequences. Bad quality sleep can suppress your immunity and make you more prone to illness. It may increase your risk of serious illness, too, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Plus, regularly sleeping fewer than seven hours a night may increase the risk of high blood pressure in women, says a study in the journal Hypertension. And research by the University Of Bristol links sleeplessness with weight gain - the less you slumber, the more appetite-stimulating hormone is released. But even if you're not troubled by sleeplessness, you may still not be getting the quality of shut-eye you need. So remedy that...