Don’t Sleep Longer, Sleep Smarter

Sleeping is no mean art,” said Friedrich Nietzsche. “For its sake one must stay awake all day.” Indeed, maximising slumber duration can be a complex process. Today’s anxiety-ridden, deadline-heavy world can steal away our eight hours of heavenly rest and replace it with a night frustratedly gnawing our pillows.

One professional intent on helping us snooze is Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, the author of Tired But Wired, a book released last month that advises taking naps, relaxing and exercising to hibernate effectively and wake up zinging and refreshed.

“I was frustrated about the lack of information out there,” says the sleep and energy coach. “Someone once asked me to recommend a good book on sleep and I couldn’t find one. I wanted to debunk many myths about sleep. I’ve had sleep problems myself for many years and I know what it’s like. It’s awful to wake up not rested and have to face the day.”

Britain is an insomniac nation: the NHS spent almost