Good sleep is a key marker of overall wellbeing. As Neil writes in his book How to Sleep Well, “getting just one hour less sleep a night than you require can have measurable effects on your physical and mental health.”

The ‘eight hours a night’ rule is actually a myth; the National Sleep Foundation just recommends more than seven hours’ a night for adults. But you might find it hard to meet that recommendation, particularly if you have young children!

Luckily, it’s not only the duration of sleep that matters; you can also make changes to improve the quality of your sleep. Good ‘sleep hygiene’ includes things like sticking to a sleep schedule, minimising disruptive light and sound while you’re winding down, avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, and choosing a supportive mattress and natural bedding.

These are just a few of the things you can do to improve your sleep – check out Neil’s 112 quick sleep tips here for more.

Then come along to Neil’s interactive talk and Q&A, where you can:

• Get answers to your most pressing sleep-related questions: What impact does alcohol have on sleep? How can I minimise the effect of blue light? How do I deal with my snoring partner?
• Learn how to maximise the value of your sleep to benefit your health, wellbeing, and happiness

And if you’re interested in this topic, check out Shelley James, Founder of Age of Light Innovations, who is speaking in the Technology Theatre on Saturday only about the power of good lighting (or darkness), which has strong links to sleep quality.

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