Follow a child's bedtime routine for a top night's sleep says athlete Greg Rutherford
Getting a good night's sleep could be as easy as child's play says Olympic athlete Greg Rutherford MBE.
Ahead of the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, Greg says following a child's bedtime routine is key to getting the right amount of shut eye.
Greg’s routine includes at least 45 minutes of ‘no screen time’, a warm bath, listening to relaxing music, reading a book, using lavender pillow spray – and getting the bedroom set up two hours before bed.
His insight comes after research revealed 27 per cent of UK adults have no night-time routine at all – and the average person gets just five hours of quality shut-eye a night.
The study was commissioned by Dreams, the Official Sleep Partner to Team GB and ParalympicsGB.
Former long jumper Greg said: “As an athlete, sleep is up there with being one of the most important elements in influencing our performance, whether in training or just before a competition.
“But as we can see from the research, many adults are struggling with a good routine and they aren’t quite nailing a good night’s sleep – which isn’t good.
“Sleep is our superpower! Having a bedtime routine is an essential part of my evening – I call it my ‘reverse warm up’, and it follows a similar structure to my kids’ routines.”
The research found Brits spend a total of just 12 minutes on their sleep routine each night – with preparation consisting of brushing their teeth, getting into their pyjamas, and washing their face.
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Just over a third sit and read a book as part of their evening ritual, while one in ten wind down with some stretches or breathing exercises.
However, some adults go the extra mile to get a good night’s sleep – including counting sheep, clicking their body joints, checking the bed for spiders, or even doing 100 press-ups.
It also emerged that 63 per cent agree bedtime rituals can have a positive impact on their sleep.
In fact, eight in ten said a good night’s sleep can improve their productivity the following day, estimating they feel 50 per cent more focused the morning after a quality kip.
But nearly a quarter of adults reckon it’s been over a week since they last woke up feeling well-rested, and more than half (55 per cent) admit they don’t get enough good quality sleep.
Greg Rutherford's Top Tips For a Better Night's Sleep
1 45 minutes no screen time: “I do this as it’s easy to get distracted by checking emails or texts, and then your brain starts whirring before sleep.”
2 A warm bath: “This helps me relax my body, especially if I’ve been working out and need to soothe my muscles.”
3 Listening to relaxing music: “If I know I might not be able to switch off easily, I try to listen to some relaxing music until I drift off.”
4 Reading a book: “This helps me unwind, but I’ve got a stack next to my bed which I’m yet to finish!”
5 Using lavender pillow spray: “I use this on my kids' pillows too because they like it and we can take it with us on trips – it reminds them of home.”
6 Organising my bedroom: “I like to get everything sorted a couple of hours before bed – so I’m not trying to find things and accidentally perking myself up in the process.”
Read more: 20 tiny hacks to make life better
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