"Eight Sleep Secrets: From Cozy Socks to Floor Napping and the Surprising Benefits of Milk"

IF you struggle to nod off at night, you aren’t alone.

Yesterday The Sun reported that a survey has revealed British women are the worst sleepers in Europe.

Today, on World Sleep Day, we have eight top tips on how to drift off into the land of NodCredit: Getty

More than one in five said they got less than six hours of shut-eye nightly, which is lower than the European average.

, work and family stresses were the main reasons for .

But whatever your gender, there are a few simple ways for you to improve your odds of peaceful slumber.

Today, on World Day, Laura Stott gives her top tips on how to drift off into the land of Nod.

TELL YOURSELF A BEDTIME STORY

Struggling to sleep? Try telling yourself a bedtime story of your day to help your body and mind relaxCredit: Getty

IF you struggle to fall asleep when you get under the covers, try telling yourself a bedtime story about your day.

Recounting events from the moment you woke up can encourage the body and brain to relax and switch off.

Try focussing on tiny details, such as the type of cereal you had for breakfast or what colour coat you wore. Recapping events chronologically or even in reverse will encourage cognitive calming.

Focusing on mundane details should help distract your mind from any bigger worries – and chances are you’ll be asleep before remembering lunchtime.

TRY TO STAY AWAKE

If worries keep you awake, experts say trying to stay awake instead – a technique called paradoxical intention – can help you fall asleep fasterCredit: Getty

IF worries stop you sleeping, experts suggest trying to stay awake instead might ultimately help you nod off faster.

Known as paradoxical intention, US boffins found stressing about getting a good night’s sleep kept the brain alert and prevented people from getting some shut-eye.

Research showed trying to do the opposite made it easier to drift off.

So every time you feel your lids go heavy, try to keep them open until sleep arrives naturally.

HAVE A NIGHTCAP

As well as being a relaxing ritual to ease tensions before you turn in, sipping warm milk supplies the amino acid tryptophan, which can induce sleepinessCredit: Getty

A comforting drink – but not an alcoholic one – can help you drift off peacefully.

As well as being a relaxing ritual to supplies the amino acid tryptophan, which can induce sleepiness.

Adding spices such as nutmeg or turmeric creates a greater natural sedative effect, while Horlicks and other magnesium-rich malted milks can reduce restlessness.

If you prefer something fruity, cherry juice is high in natural melatonin which research shows increases sleep duration.

LIE ON THE BATHROOM FLOOR

When your bed has become a stressful place, try lying down in a different part of your home, such as the spare bedroom, sofa or bathroomCredit: Getty Images

IF your mind is racing and it’s keeping you awake, sometimes getting up and going somewhere else can help you fall sleep.

When your bed has become a stressful place, try lying down in a different part of your home, such as the spare bedroom, sofa or bathroom.

It interrupts your brain’s frustration cycle while the new surroundings and a change in temperature or surface can help to reset your mind.

Try this for ten to 20 minutes until you feel tension begin to ease and then return to bed. In any new room, avoid stimulants such as the TV.

HIDE THE CLOCK

If you need an alarm, keep the front face down on your bedside table or covered with a towelCredit: Getty

THERE is nothing worse than lying awake staring at a clock – so if you struggle to drift off, keep the time hidden from view.

Repeatedly waking in the night and checking how long you have until you need to get up can worsen the problem by making you even more anxious.

If you need an alarm, keep the front face down on your bedside table or covered with a towel.

Alternatively, place the clock in a drawer, where it will be out of sight but still audible to wake you.

The glow from the screens of mobile phones, which is known as blue light, can also disrupt sleep cycles.

TENSE YOUR TOES

Research shows that tightening and then releasing toes, counting to ten each time, helps alleviate anxieties and worries that might be keeping you awakeCredit: Getty

SLEEP experts found that clenching and releasing your feet can ease tensions elsewhere in your body and calm a racing mind.

Research at the University of Maryland in the US showed that tightening and then releasing toes, counting to ten each time, helps alleviate anxieties and worries that might be keeping you awake.

Focusing on this sensation calms the brain and encourages sleep to arrive more easily.

If you find yourself tossing and turning, curl your toes and foot arches upwards as tightly as possible and count backwards from ten before releasing and relaxing completely.

Tapping your toes together may also help.

TRY A ROARING FIR SOUNDTRACK

Listening to soothing, repetitive sounds like waves, crackling fires or trickling streams can help your brain relax and signal bedtime for a better night’s sleepCredit: Getty

LISTENING to unusual sounds can bring about a peaceful sleep.

Comforting, repetitive noises such as recordings of a log fire crackling, food frying, waves crashing on a beach or a trickling stream can work as sleep cues to distract your brain from stresses and concerns.

As well as creating a relaxed, restful state and positive feelings, using the same sounds nightly could even make your body routinely associate it as a signal to start drifting off.

There are a number of phone you can download which contain sounds recorded to help you fall asleep

Listen at a low volume when you turn in.

WEAR FLUFFY SOCKS

A study by British researchers proved that keeping tootsies toasty really can help you fall asleep more easilyCredit: Getty

POP a pair of bed socks on to help minimise unwelcome tossing and turning when you get into bed.

A study by British researchers proved that .

Wrapping your feet in a pair of cosy, fluffy socks at night was shown to lower body temperature and cause blood vessels to widen.

This induces feelings of drowsiness by sending signals to your brain that it’s bedtime so you drift off faster.

Opt for natural fibres such as cotton or wool to minimise any overnight sweating – or if socks are not for you, try taking a warm bath before turning the lights off.