Five of the best: Tips to get a good night's sleep

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Getting a good night's sleep puts your brain and body in good stead for the week ahead. It helps you make good decisions, get on well with people, be more creative, have more energy, process information better - all the things that make a good day. On the flipside, not enough can lead to all sorts of short and long-term health issues. Now life is back in full swing with work, study, sport and social commitments all cramming the calendar, it's the ideal time to consider your sleep and set some good habits for the year. Shut-eye specialist Karyn O'Keeffe from the Sleep/Wake Research Centre at Wellington's Massey University offers her top five tips. Sweet dreams!

1: Aim for regular bed and rise times every day

Even on weekends, do your best to get up and go to sleep at the same time as you do Monday to Friday - with about 30 minutes wiggle room either way. If you get your circadian rhythm out of whack over the weekend it could flow into what's called "social jetlag". The amount of sleep each person needs varies, but research suggests seven to nine hours is best for optimal overall health and daytime functioning.

2: Avoid caffeine and alcohol after dark

Caffeine takes between five and eight hours to get out of your system. Plus, every
time you guzzle another caffeinated drink, it slows down the process. It depends on your sensitivity, but it is suggested you stop the lattes and Red Bull by 3pm and never drink more than a couple in a day. It's a myth that coffee will stop you getting to sleep, says Karyn, but it does ruin the amount of deep sleep you have, so you feel unrefreshed in the morning. Alcohol also affects the quality of your sleep so try to put down the glass two to three hours before bed.

3: Turn off technology

It's a good idea to dim all screens you are exposed to in the evening and avoid everything two hours before bed. Exposure to electronic light makes it harder to drift off and research suggests it leads to groggy feelings in the morning and a bigger struggle to rise and shine. Karyn recommends avoiding tech but, if that's too hard, at least put down devices that need to be close to your face, like iPhones and iPads. The light is a hindrance and they tend to keep your mind ticking over. The aim is for maximum relaxation.

4: Create a safe sleep zone

It should be dark, quiet, comfortable, a cosy temperature and free from activities. Tick these bedroom boxes and you will set a strong cue for your body that this is where you go to sleep and get good quality rest. (And it's so nice to have a cushy nest to snooze in).

5: Exercise every day

Studies show that regular exercise every day improves rest and offers more of the good, deep sleep. Karyn says the best time to work up a 30-minute sweat (even a small one) is dusk, and not too close to bedtime. Expending energy reminds our body clock to function in a regular way, she says. So go and get yourself tuckered out.