Sleep is vital for our physical and mental health. That means getting the right amount of good quality sleep each night.

According to the NHS, not doing so can leave you feeling down, with a lower mood, possible difficulties concentrating, and feeling more irritable than usual.

In the longer term, poor sleep has implications for our relationships and social life.

Now, new research reported by the Guardian, confirms that sleeping less than five hours a night could make you more susceptible to the symptoms of depression.

Keep reading to find out more about this report and how to ensure you get the best night’s sleep possible.

Scientists have found that a lack of sleep can lead to depressive symptoms

While the link between poor sleep and mental health problems has long been accepted, it wasn’t always clear whether depression led to poor sleep, or vice versa.

Now, a study of more than 7,000 people recruited by the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) has tracked sleep patterns and heredity. Researchers found that those genetically prone to sleeping for less than five hours a night were more likely to develop depressive symptoms. The reverse link, though, was not observed.

Overall, those participants who received less than five hours of sleep were 2.5 times more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression.

This makes getting the right amount of good sleep in 2024 vitally important. Thankfully, there are several simple steps you can take to improve your “sleep hygiene”.

3 simple tips for a better night’s sleep

1. Find a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it

We all have a natural body clock. You might think of yourself as either a night owl or an early bird but these inclinations (or “chronotypes”) actually come in four varieties:

• Bear – Your sleep cycle aligns with the sun. You fall asleep quickly and are most productive before noon.
• Wolf – You struggle to get up in the morning, are most productive early in the afternoon but might get a second wind around 6 pm.
• Lion – You wake up early but have shorter evenings and an early bedtime.
• Dolphin – You struggle with regular sleep patterns but wake easily, hitting peak productivity between 10 am to 2 pm.

You might find that you don’t fit into any of these chronotypes or that you recognise bits of yourself in two or more.

The key, though, is understanding what works for you. Allow your body to find its natural rhythms and then stick to a consistent routine. That means going to bed and getting up at the same times every day, even on the weekends.

2. Develop evening and morning routines conducive to good sleep and ensure your bedroom is a restful environment

Find ways to relax after work and before bed so that you’re in the best mood for a restful night’s sleep.

You might opt for a bath with a book or listening to music. If reading is your preferred method of relaxation you might try one of these seven books about sleep that we recommended in honour of World Sleep Day.

If you prefer listening for relaxation, consider audiobooks or apps like Headspace or Calm that offer meditations and sleep stories designed to help you drift off.

Just be careful which devices you download the apps to as blue light from mobile phones and laptops can disrupt your circadian rhythms. Consider blue light filters or SAD alarm clocks that look to replicate sunrise and sunset.

You’ll also need to manage your sleep environment by regulating (as much as you can):

• Temperature
• Noise levels
• Light

This might mean finding a tricky balance. An open window, say, could lower the temperature but increase noise, while heavy curtains will block out early morning light and make natural waking more difficult.

Your perfect sleep environment is individual to you so you might also need to compromise with your partner (or pets).

3. Looking after your physical and mental health throughout the day

You can look after your physical health through regular exercise and a balanced diet. You’ll also want to avoid alcohol and nicotine, especially close to bedtime.

A morning walk can help you to get fresh air, exercise, and vitamin D early on. But be sure not to exercise too close to bed as this can release endorphins that make sleeping difficult. You might look after your mental health through exercise too, by walking in nature, for example.

Apps like Calm aren’t just useful at bedtime. They can provide an introduction to mindfulness techniques that you can use to rebalance throughout the day.