It’s a well-known fact that good sleep is a foundation for long-term physical and mental health.

But for a significant number of us, sleep deprivation is a serious issue.

According to recent research, almost one in two people get less than six hours’ sleep a night – that’s three hours below government guidelines for a healthy night’s rest – while it’s estimated that 16 million adults in the UK suffer with insomnia.

Lockdown hasn’t helped the situation either, with 40% of people reporting a bad or terrible night’s sleep during the pandemic.

A sound night’s sleep rarely hinges upon one or two factors, but is the result of a finely-tuned routine that runs the whole day long.

From the moment we wake up, to the moments before we doze off, our ability to rest will have been pre-determined by our lifestyle choices during the day.

“Our bodies come fitted with in-built clocks regulating the body’s daily rhythm,” explains Dr Anna Persaud, CEO of This Works.

“Today, we override and disrupt our natural sleep-wake pattern with 24 hour access to light, irregular and more sedentary working hours, regular intake of stimulants such as caffeine, constant access to food, and addictive use of devices.”

To find out how to prime the mind and body for the best night’s sleep possible, we spoke to Dr Persaud to discover five simple steps that can genuinely enhance our rest.

5 ways to solve sleep struggles according to an expert