In this week’s Sleep Diaries, a 40-year-old copywriter finds out about how to deal with poor sleep the following morning.

A little about me:

Age: 40

Occupation: copywriter

Number of hours sleep you get each night: 6-8 hours

Number of hours sleep you wish you got each night: 8 hours+

Any officially diagnosed sleep-related problems (insomnia/sleep apnea): No, but I do occasionally have rhinitis which affects my breathing. I use a nasal spray like Sterimar when it gets bad. It doesn’t tend to need anything stronger.

Do you grind your teeth/have nightmares: I grind my teeth and have a mouthguard. My sleep quality seems unaffected whether I wear it or not. I didn’t think I had nightmares but after keeping this diary I realise I probably do. I call them work dreams because they are always about a situation involving my work and real clients – something realistic that has gone wrong. They’re definitely terrifying and I wake up feeling incredibly anxious. I don’t know if it’s being hot or a bad dream that wakes me or a combination of the two.

How much water do you drink on average per day: 1.2-1.5 litres. I don’t drink coffee or tea (just herbal teas).

How much exercise do you do on average per week: I walk for about 30-40 minutes daily and do some kind of exercise video most mornings for between 15-45 minutes. It’s usually a combination of cardio, pilates or some kind of strength training. However, this goes out the window if I’ve had a bad night’s sleep.

“How can I feel more energised after a bad night’s sleep?” A sleep expert answers your questions