Perhaps you have been thinking about it all day; you've looked forward to how you will feel when you finally get it back. You may have even revisited in your mind again and again how it was cruelly taken away from you in your time of need, how just one more hour would have made everything better – promising yourself next time it will be different.

At last, after a long day you're back in your warm bed and soft sheets. However, something is wrong - suddenly you panic, thinking about all those things you have to remember, all the things you might have forgotten. You've been seconds from nodding off all day and now you have your chance and you're wide awake - like a coffee addict who's just received their daily dose, your mind is whirring and once again it won't stop.

There are many factors that can affect your ability to relax at night, one of which is artificial light. Unbeknownst to many people, your body uses surrounding information such as light to determine factors like what time of day it is and how it should react. It's tricking your body into thinking it is still daytime.

Televisions and lights (even those seemingly innocuous red standby ones) after dark can be quietly sabotaging your chances of a good nights sleep.

To ensure you are giving yourself the very best chances of a stress free slumber, try switching off those standby lights (or covering them up). Consider forgoing the last part of your evenings television viewing for a power cut-esque early night and see what happens to your moodscope score.

Jake

Personal trainer/lifestyle coach