World Sleep Day: 10 tips for a good night's sleep
How important is a good night's sleep? 07:21
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(CNN)With over 100 types of sleep disorders to contend with, and around 40-50% of us experiencing insomnia at some point in our lives, it's vital to keep an eye on your sleep habits and seek help if you need it, according to Antonio Culebras, organizer of World Sleep Day 2016, a global initiative educating the public about sleep.
Many of us don't even know the basic facts about sleep. For instance, it should take you 10 to 15 minutes to fall asleep, with seven to nine hours being optimal for most of us, ideally at a temperature of around 60-67°F (16-19°C).
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To celebrate World Sleep Day we asked you to share your top tips for a good night's sleep on Twitter. You replied with loads of ideas, from drinking a soothing cup of camomile tea, to going to the gym, or having sex. Here are our favorite ones and what the experts have to say about them ...
1. Turn off your gadgets
This is a good strategy according to Russell Foster, director of Oxford University's SCNi (Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute), as blue light emitted from smartphone, TV and computerscreens can suppress melatonin (a hormone helping you sleep) and increase your alertness.
"What it probably will do is increase levels of alertness and therefore delay sleep onset ... it's a good rule of thumb to reduce light exposure," says Foster, advising to switch off your screens half an hour before bed and relax in a softly lit room.
You can even buy special light bulbs mimicking sunlight -- "white and color ambience" bulbs can gradually wake you up and send you to sleep by slowly brightening, dimming and alternating the light's frequency.
Read more: Our ancient ancestors may have slept better than you, but also less
2. Avoid a bedtime tipple
However enjoyable nightcaps may be, unfortunately they could lead to more shallow sleep.
"Alcohol will actually disrupt some of the important things going on in the brain such as memory consolidation," says Foster.
A shallower sleep could lead to a negative cycle where you're dependent on sedatives to sleep, and stimulants such as caffeine or sugary food to stay awake during the day.
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