Whether you're four coffees deep or just rolling out of bed, we want to help you get a better sleep.
Look back through our Q&A blog where the ABC's Virginia Trioli, sleep scientist Gemma Paech and Your Move ambassador and health reporter Tahnee Jash shared their tips and tricks to help get you snoozing.
Key events
- Does taking magnesium before bed actually help us sleep?
- Should I sleep in a different bed to my partner if we both struggle to sleep?
- What's the ideal sleeping temperature for summer?
- Why am I sweating profusely at night?
- Why am I waking up in the middle of the night?
- Does white noise really help us sleep better?
- Struggling to put down your phone at night?
- What sleeping position is best if I have asthma?
- How do I stop falling asleep on the couch?
- What can I do to stop having nightmares?
- What can I do to stop sleeping through my alarm?
- My pet wakes me up during the night. How do I stop it?
- How can I help my toddler sleep more consistently?
- What else can I do to block out the sun when I have to sleep during the day?
- Are bedrooms designed to not let us sleep well?
- How does alcohol impact the quality of our sleep?
- What can I do to clear my mind before bed?
- Can a lack of sleep impact my memory?
- How can I fall back asleep?
- How do I unlearn my poor shift work sleep patterns?
- How can I stop waking up in the middle of the night?
- Virginia Trioli's tips to a better night's sleep
- How many hours of sleep are we getting on average?
- Have you got a question about sleep? Come and join the conversation
Live updates
By Kate Ainsworth
We'll wrap up our sleep Q&A here, but check back tomorrow for more
Thank you so much for joining our expert Q&A on sleep today, and for everyone who sent in a question.
And of course, a massive thank you to the ABC's Virginia Trioli and Tahnee Jash, and sleep scientist Dr Gemma Paech for their insights.
We couldn't get to every single submission, but we hope you gained some tips and tricks from this Q&A, whether it be how to wind down at night, or how to stop sleeping through your morning alarm.
That's a wrap on the second of four sessions we're running as part of the ABC's Your Move project.
Join us again tomorrow at 11:30am AEDT as another panel of experts tackle all your questions and concerns about cooking and nutrition.
In the meantime, complete the ABC Your Move Health Quiz if you haven't already using the link below. Bye for now!
By Kate Ainsworth
Sleep 101 with Dr Gemma Paech
You've probably heard the advice at one time or another not to scroll on your phone before bedtime.
As Dr Paech explains, there's a good reason — the light can affect your sleep.
"We are exposed to light at night time, from our TVs, our laptops, our smartphones, this is sending a signal to our brain to halt melatonin secretion and production," she says.
"In other words, our brain is giving the signal to say it should be awake.
"This makes it harder for us to fall asleep and can shift our circadian timing later so we become more of a night owl."
By Kate Ainsworth
What does Virginia Trioli's routine looks like?
Lots of you have asked exactly *what* Virginia Trioli's morning and evening routine looks like — and she's happily obliged.
Here's what her typical weekday morning looks like:
Up at either 4:15 or 4:50 if I’ve gone out the night before, shower, dress, and one coffee, bike or walk to and from work with another coffee drunk on the way there, breakfast at work, work, off air, lunch, home.
As for the evening?
Chores, home stuff, reading, gym three afternoons a week, prep dinner, news. Dinner at 5:30 or 6pm, do face and teeth, prep everything for the morning (clothes, bags), read to my son, bed at 9:15pm, read and asleep by 9:30, 10pm at the latest.
By Kate Ainsworth
Finding you're constantly tired during the day?
There could be a few reasons you're feeling tired when the sun's up.
If you're still feeling groggy hours after waking up, it's a good idea to chat to your GP or a medical professional — especially because tiredness and fatigue can be linked to other issues not connected to sleep, like iron deficiency.
You can read more about chronic fatigue below.
By Kate Ainsworth
Does taking magnesium before bed actually help us sleep?
Does taking magnesium actually help with sleep? I used to struggle with getting to sleep so much and would wake 5+ times each night. Once I started taking magnesium my life changed, but is it just all in my head?
- Emma
Hi Emma, thanks for your question — there have been a few asking about magnesium supplements! Here's Dr Gemma Paech:
There isn't a lot of evidence showing that magnesium improves sleep and it might be a placebo effect.
Magnesium has been suggested to be useful for restless leg syndrome, which can impact sleep, but there isn't any solid research to support this.
If it works for you and you're not experiencing any side effects, then it's probably OK to continue, but if your sleep worsens or if you're concerned then you should go to your GP.
By Kate Ainsworth
Should I sleep in a different bed to my partner if we both struggle to sleep?
Is it beneficial to sleep in a different bed to your partner, if you both struggle to get a good sleep?
- Travis
Hi Travis, thanks for your question. Here's Dr Gemma Paech's advice:
Yes — we know that if one bed partner is disruptive (tossing and turning, or maybe snoring) this can affect the other bed partner.
There's nothing wrong with sleeping in separate beds or rooms, and some people may find this helps improve their sleep and relationships.
By Kate Ainsworth
Is there a link between our immune system and sleep?
When I don't get enough sleep I feel like my immune system gets worse. Is there any link between the two?
- Matt
Hi Matt, thanks for your question! I've thrown it to Dr Gemma Paech:
Yes. We know that when we don't get good quality sleep this makes us more likely to get sick/unwell.
Our immune system also affects our sleep, so when we're sick sometimes we might not sleep as well or might feel sleepier.
Getting good rest when unwell and prioritising sleep when we're well will help us to stay healthy.
By Kate Ainsworth
How Virginia Trioli managed the sleepless baby phase
We've gotten lots of questions from parents about helping their children — especially young babies — get to sleep. Here's how Virginia Trioli dealt with it:
One thing I am so proud of is getting my son to sleep well as he was the WORST sleeper ever! A shocker — off and on every two hours for the first year or more and then night waking several times a night. I was going mad with sleep deprivation. I had all the bloody experts in and spent so much money trying to get him to sleep.
A paediatrician set me straight: the only way is to prepare them calmly for sleep with all the usual routines — do not deviate — and put them to bed. And walk away. And then they get up/cry — and you do it again. And again. And again.
The first night you do it 50 times. The second — 30. The third — a dozen.
By the end of the week. They should have it. It’s a week of hell for a lifetime of healthy sleep habits. They may regress — just go back to the program.
This is as hard as it looks — but it’s so worth it. My worst sleeper in the world now sleeps like an angel and is happy and rested. And it makes me happy to this day that I did this.
By Kate Ainsworth
What's the ideal sleeping temperature for summer?
What is a good temperature to have in the bedroom in summer for a good night sleep?
- Sean
Hi Sean, thanks for your question — an important one as the weather starts to warm up! Here's Dr Gemma Paech:
This is always tricky in summer, but when it comes to sleep, cooler temperatures are better.
Most people find that around 18-21 degrees is ideal for sleep, but this can vary between people.
Hot temperatures can make it harder to sleep, but it can be hard to achieve this when it's hot outside.
By Kate Ainsworth
Why am I sweating profusely at night?
Why do I occasionally sweat profusely some nights, even in winter?
- Kristy
Hi Kristy, thanks for your question. Dr Gemma Paech says there could be a few reasons for this:
For women, particularly as we age and start to hit menopause, this can lead to night sweats.
Other reasons for night sweating is the room or bed being too hot. In winter sometimes people can make a bedroom too warm by having a heater on all night, but a cooler room temperature is better for sleep.
Having bedding or sleep wear that is not "breathable", think synthetic materials, can also lead to increased body temperature which could also lead to night sweating.
If you're seriously concerned about your sweating at night, it's worth chatting to your GP or another medical professional.
By Kate Ainsworth
What are your good and bad habits with sleep?
As part of ABC Your Move, we asked Australians their good and bad habits with sleep.
"I like to watch Tik Tok right before I fall asleep, so I'll scroll for like 45 minutes," one person said.
"Playing on my phone or just getting stuck into something and not going to bed on time," added another.
By Kate Ainsworth
Why am I waking up in the middle of the night?
Typically, I go to bed at 10 or 11 pm, sleep for 3 hours or so, and for no apparent reason, wake up at 3am and toss and turn for an hour or 2. Then sleep thru to about 8 or 9am feeling a bit groggy.Why do I often wake up at 2 or 3 am ?
- Joel
Hi Joel, thanks for your question. I've asked Dr Gemma Paech for her advice:
It's normal to wake during the night and early morning hours, but a lot of the time we fall back asleep fairly easily.
If you're struggling to fall back asleep, you might be experiencing some insomnia symptoms.When you wake, try getting out of bed and doing something relaxing while avoiding a lot of bright light (i.e., try to avoid looking at phones/computers/TV) and then go back to bed when you feel sleepy again.
Avoid clock watching and try not to get frustrated with being unable to sleep because this will just make it worse. It's also important to not spend too much time in bed relative to how much sleep you need, aim to spend around 8 hours in bed to get around 8 hours of sleep.
If you're still struggling, it's best to see your GP who can provide you with some more specific tips and who can screen you for possible sleep disorders.
By Kate Ainsworth
Does white noise really help us sleep better?
There have been a number of trendy sleep aids - nature sounds (rain, surf etc) white noise, binaural beats and, more recently, brown noise. Is there any science behind any of these, or are they just placebos that are believed in....until the next one comes along?
- Andrew
Hi Andrew, thanks for writing in. I've asked Dr Gemma Paech for her take:
Yes and no. There isn't a lot of evidence that these help sleep, but for some people they may find benefits from it.
However, some people may become too dependent on these to help them sleep, so much so that they then can't sleep without them.
If people find they are constantly needing the "next quick fix" for their sleep, they should seek further medical advice.
Treatments such as CBTi (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia) are proven to be effective long-term treatments to improve sleep quality and should be used above sleep fads.
By Kate Ainsworth
Shift worker? Here's some advice on staying healthy (and happy) while working weird hours
It's no secret that work can affect our sleep in more ways than one — but those of us who are shift workers often sacrifice a 'normal' healthy sleep pattern.
Whether you're a seasoned shift worker or a newbie to the lifestyle, here's some advice from those who are well-versed in the art of unusual working hours.
By Kate Ainsworth
Struggling with feeling anxious when you go to bed?
Any advice for those of us who get Anxiety attacks when we go to bed? I'll be feeling calm, go to bed, and BOOM, Anxiety attack.
- Lily
Hi Lily, thanks for your question. Sorry to hear you're experiencing this — here's Dr Gemma Paech.
A lot of the time this is because our brains have associated being awake and/or anxious with our beds, which means when we go to bed, our brain thinks it's time to feel anxious or be awake, and this can lead to us feeling worse.
Try practicing some mindfulness and/or relaxation activities in bed just before you go to sleep. Make sure your bed and bedroom are comfortable and inviting for you.
And, if you find yourself feeling anxious in bed, get out of bed and return when you feel calm again. If you stay in bed feeling anxious, this reinforces your brain's association between bed and being anxious and you want to try to 'retrain' your brain.
A psychologist can also help with these feelings and help you to develop tools to overcome this anxiety when you go to bed.
By Kate Ainsworth
Struggling to put down your phone at night?
Lots of us are guilty of staying on our phones late at night, but if you're wanting to cut down, Tahnee Jash has a few tips from her own experience to get you started:
It all started with a social media detox — after looking at my 'screen time' stats, I decided it was time to give myself a break and deactivate some of my social media accounts.
But working in media means you have to be across what is happening, so when I reactivated my accounts, I gave myself a time limit. I did this with TV too, so I could still watch my favourite shows but gave myself enough time to wind down for bed.
The other thing I did, was ask myself 'why am I using social media?' Was it because I was bored or procrastinating? (Most of the time that was a 'yes'.)
I tried creating a new habit by replacing scrolling with things I want to do but can never find the time — like reading a book, which after dissing in this recent article I wrote, I've now come to love again.
By Kate Ainsworth
Is napping bad even if it's a siesta?
If napping is supposed to be so bad for you, does that also apply to entire cultures where siestas are a thing?
- Lauren
Hi Lauren, thanks for the interesting question! Here's Virginia Trioli (who, for full disclosure, is anti-nap):
Yes! Ever tried to get something done in Italy in the middle of the day? Crazy! They’re all closed! Death to naps!
By Kate Ainsworth
What sleeping position is best if I have asthma?
I have asthma. Should I sleep on my back, front, or side?
- Kate
Hi Kate (great name, by the way), thanks for writing in. I've put your question to Dr Gemma Paech:
There isn't any definitive answer as to what position someone should sleep in and as far as I'm aware, there hasn't been anything with relation to asthma.
For some people however, sleeping on their back may affect their breathing at night by making them more likely to have sleep apnea events, where we briefly stop breathing.
If you have troubles with your asthma at nighttime, you should speak to your GP and/or respiratory specialist as there may be other treatment options available for people with nocturnal asthma.
By Kate Ainsworth
How do I stop falling asleep on the couch?
I fall asleep on the couch before 10pm wake up at 2am got to bed and wake up at 6:30 exhausted. How do I break the cycle?
- Simon
Hi Simon, thanks for your (very relatable) question. Here's what Virginia Trioli says:
Simon! Stop it! Immediately! (I’m very cross).
No excuse for this, my friend; I know that YOU want to watch 3 eps of Industry but your body doesn’t want to!
Stop the TV: dinner, cleaning up, sorting next day, bathroom routing, bed by 10pm, book, sleep.
No more sacking out on couch. I’m sure you’ll sort it quickly.
By Kate Ainsworth
What can I do to stop having nightmares?
Any advice for a sleep without nightmares? I have consistently had (different) nightmares for the last 2+ years.
- John
Hi John, sorry to hear you're going through this. I've put your question to Dr Gemma Paech.
For children or young adults, it's not uncommon to have nightmares, but most people "grow" out of these.
Sometimes nightmares can be caused by stressful or traumatic events, even if these events occurred years before.
If you're having persistent nightmares, you should go to your GP for further advice.
They may recommend you go to a psychologist and/or have a sleep study to find out what else might be going on.
