In this week’s Sleep Diaries, a 59-year-old retiree wonders why she is frequently unable to sleep at night.

A little about me:

Age: 59

Occupation: recently retired

Number of hours sleep you get each night: 5 or 6 hours some nights, not much sleep at all on others

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

Do you grind your teeth/have nightmares: no

How much water do you drink on average per day: 1-2 litres

How much exercise do you do on average per week: 7 hours

Day 1

I watch TV in the living room trying to wind down for the day until 11pm. Then, I turn my lavender diffuser on in the bedroom, and read in bed for about 15 or 20 minutes. When I start dozing off, I switch off the light so the room is completely dark and try to sleep.

I wind up tossing and turning for hours and, despite closing my eyes, I don’t feel sleepy as my mind is still active (even though nothing is bothering me or making me anxious).

“Why can’t I sleep? And how can I make sure I do?” A sleep expert reveals all