A GP has revealed a 90-minute rule for those who find it difficult to fall asleep – or remain asleep – during the night. Dr Rangan Chatterjee is a bestselling author and podcast presenter, and has appeared on various programmes across BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
He frequently offers health advice and guidance to his 1.6 million Instagram followers, and in one update he outlined five strategies people can implement for improved sleep. One of these involves having “no tech for 90 minutes before bed”.
Additional approaches people can adopt, according to the GP, include keeping screens out of the bedroom and getting morning light exposure within 30 minutes of waking. Research indicates that doing the latter boosts “early-day cortisol release” which helps prepare the body for sleep later in the evening.
Morning sunlight also assists in regulating your circadian rhythm, which enables your body to predict sleep and wake times, amongst numerous other functions. Dr Chatterjee also recommends steering clear of caffeine after 12pm.
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His final suggestion is to attempt consuming your last meal of the day earlier in the evening. Some research indicates that eating within three hours of bedtime can significantly affect your sleep quality, reports Bristol Live.
In the caption accompanying his post, Dr Chatterjee stated: “Know someone who struggles with their sleep? Feel free to share this simple graphic with them.”