Stick to a routine

The plumping of pillows and lighting of candles also served a purpose. “There’s great value in the routine of doing something every day at the same time,” advises Joaquim. “You’re creating a bedtime routine that your brain will love, because our brains thrive on habit.

“If what you did yesterday meant you survived, then it’s going to encourage your brain to do it again. Routine and habits mitigate risk so they’re a way of signalling to your brain that it’s safe to switch off.”

A switched-off brain makes it easier to notice your thoughts, with no judgement or engagement. I found it useful to imagine that my thoughts were like clouds passing by: it’s OK to notice them, but there’s no need to do anything with them.

Like many people, I don’t carve out time to wind down before sleep – often going straight from sorting the washing, loading the dishwasher and preparing for the next day to jumping into bed. It’s little surprise that my sleep quality isn’t top-notch.

“Most people assume that sleep is a given. They think they can stimulate their brains all day long then expect to simply switch off when it’s time to go to bed, but it doesn’t work that way,” says Joaquim.

To be vulnerable enough to sleep, “your brain needs to feel safe and secure,” Joaquim continues. “It needs to know that you are not in any danger overnight and will be able to wake up in the morning alive and kicking, and that means allowing your brain to decompress from the day.”

That’s where a practice like meditation comes in useful, as it essentially “creates a buffer between the busy-ness of the day and the calm of night,” says Joaquim. “It’s time for your brain to let go of thoughts and worries and start to settle into a new zone, preparing for sleep.”

“I meditated for 10 minutes before bed every night for a week – here’s what happened to my sleep and mental health”