b'HEALTH CHECKSleep HygieneSimple to follow, we have 10 points to show how making a few changesrecommended by one of Britains top sleep gurus, Professor Jason Ellis to your routine over a 24-hour period can make a difference to yourofNorthumbriaUniversity.Theguidelinesareaimedatincreasingor well-being. The definitive advice on getting a good nights sleep comesmaintaining good sleep health and are not for the management of sleep disorders. Morning DayKeeping regular hours helps the bodys sleep system stay in harmonyExercise promotes the quantity and quality of your sleep, making and promotes feelings of sleepiness and drowsiness when your bodyit deeper and more refreshing. However, a few studies have shown is ready for sleep. Therefore, where possible, wake up at the samethat exercising too close to bedtime can prevent sleep so we suggest time each morning and go to bed at the same time every night. leaving a window of at least 2 hours before bedtime without exercise.Natural light, which can still be effective on a cloudy or grey day,Although there are significant individual differences in how caffeine helps reset our internal body clock. It helps us get over feelingaffects each of us, give yourself enough time between your last groggy when we have just woken up and makes us more alert. caffeine intake and your sleep time to make sure that it does not interfere with your ability to get off to sleep.Evening NightDont go to bed full, hungry or thirsty. A balance should be struckAvoid nicotine before bed.between being sated but not full up before we go to bed. Ensure the bedroom is cool, dark and quiet before bed. Heat, light Reduce electronic use before bedtime and avoid electronic use inand noise can impact on our ability to get off to sleep and increase the bedroom. the chances that we wake in the night. Even if we dont realise that is the reason for us being awake.Dont use alcohol to sleep. Although alcohol is a sedative, it can haveEnsure that bedroom clocks are not visible. It is not necessary to a significant impact on the quality and quantity of your sleep. remove the clock, but having the clock face out of sight will help reduce any sleep anxiety.Road Safety FatigueMost people are aware of the risks of drinking and driving but driving whilstWhat can you do?sleepy can be just as dangerous. You dont need to completely fall asleep to cause an accident. Tiredness impacts your driving ability, reaction times (being able to brake quickly), judgement (e.g. working out how sharp aDont begin a longjourney if youre tiredbend is) and causes poor concentration which can increase your chances of having an accident. If youre driving a long distance, plan your trip and take regular breaks (around every two hours)Avoid driving in the early hours of the morning around 4 am and after the post-lunch energy dip between 2 pm and 4 pm. This is when sleep-related motoring accidents are most likely to occurIf you start to feel drowsy on your journey, pull over when its safe and legal to do so, take a power nap or get 20 minutes of rest. Make sure you dont set off as soon as youve woken, you need to become fully One in six crashes resulting in death and injuryalert again before you can driveon motorways and A roads are fatigue relatedUntil you can find a safe space to pull into, focus on finding a safe You need to be fully alert and aware of whats going on around you whenplace to stop, putting some music on to perk you up, opening the driving so if you notice any of these signs then you are too sleepy to drive: windows for fresh air or turning on the air con to boost alertness are very short-term measures! If you have a passenger, ask them to talk to you and ask questions. These shouldnt be used as strategies to continue driving for miles but just to get to you a suitable space to take a break and / or napStay hydrated and avoid high-carb and sugary snacks that result in an energy slumpTrouble focusing Drifting acrossStruggling toFixating on and lanes recall driving driving towardsIts important to get a good nights sleep before attempting a long lights on thedriveroad at nightThe Networker Spring 2023 9.'