I'm glad you've come to bed early. I've got some questions for you.

Not the usual introduction to my newsletter, but it is a powerful statement I heard from Lance Burdett, the managing director of WARN International a communication, safety and resilience company.

He was referring to the need for all of us to get good sleep, and that when we go to bed early, our brain will seize the opportunity to keep us awake.

As parents and caregivers we are in a constant state of high alert, for issues with our children, around their socialisation, their school progress, their future; all the while juggling our lives too. Often sleep comes last and it is not just when they were babies.

If, as adults, we don't sleep well, then we are grumpy and irritable and it effects all of our relationships and those with our children. They notice, and generally our combined feeling of wellbeing is reduced.

I have included some of the other recommendations he makes around getting a good nights sleep. For further information and there is a lot more, I recommend you have a look at his website http://www.warninternational.com

Some tips for a good nights sleep:

· Go for a 30 minute walk in the evening after dinner to calm your brain, settle your food, and burn off adrenaline and cortisol that has built up over the day.

· Exercise creates endorphins which helps you sleep, get some form of exercise daily during the working week but make sure that you do not exercise within 2 hours of going to bed.

· If you can, when you get home, make sure you switch your brain off completely by doing some form of practical action accompanied with a mantra to get your physiology & psychology (body & brain) working together. As you step inside your house take a deep breath, say to yourself “It’s over”, “I am home”, or “Relax”. Do this for 66 days (sorry, it takes that long to change your pattern) and you will find that just by opening the door and stepping inside that your brain will automatically switch off.

· Enjoy the sun for at least 15 minutes each day – don’t use sunblock as you need to absorb vitamin D plus this will help build your melatonin levels which is needed at night to sleep.

· Don’t use any electronic devices (phone, i-Pad, e-reader, etc.) at least 2 hours before bed. The backlight doesn’t help as it keeps your brain running by thinking it is daytime. There is a setting that places a red ‘cover’ on your device which will stop the blue light. There is an App called “Twilight” that does the same thing.

· Make sure your room is dark and cool. We once lived in caves and cold places that were dark so over evolution our brain is accustomed to total blackness at night. Use both blinds and curtains in your room.

· Have a hot shower 30 minutes before bedtime. As the brain cools, it sends a signal that it is night-time.

· Go to bed at the same time every night and get out of bed the same time every morning.