I’m a sleep expert and here’s why you should NEVER lie in at the weekends & which position is ‘healthiest’

IT can be tempting to make the most of the weekend by enjoying a lie in. But doing so can actually have a detrimental effect on your sleep regime, sleep expert Stephanie Romiszewski has revealed. “Catching up (on sleep) at weekends often only perpetuates poor sleep cycles and can lead to insomnia,” she explained to […]

IT can be tempting to make the most of the weekend by enjoying a lie in.

But doing so can actually have a detrimental effect on your sleep regime, sleep expert Stephanie Romiszewski has revealed.

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Don’t be tempted to have a lie in at the weekend – doing so can have a negative effect on your sleep regime as a whole[/caption]

“Catching up (on sleep) at weekends often only perpetuates poor sleep cycles and can lead to insomnia,” she explained to Express.co.uk.

“It’s okay to sleep in every now and again, but if you find yourself relying on this behaviour and it forms a pattern.

“When we lie in, it’s difficult for our brains to understand when to make us feel sleepy, as it feels you have had ‘extra’ sleep even if you went to bed later and didn’t have any extra sleep.”

It’s also important to consider what position you lay in when you prepare to go to sleep.

While sleeping on your side is “generally considered the healthiest sleeping position”, Eachnight.com’s Narwan Amini strongly advised sleeping on your stomach.

“This position can lead to multiple issues such as strained muscles and joints, stiffness, back and neck pain,” Narwan said.

“Whilst it can often be difficult to transition away from a sleeping position, you can prevent pain and protect your back by placing a pillow under your hips.”

In terms of maintaining a routine, you should prepare for bed by adapting your routine accordingly – reducing screen time around one to two hours before you hit the sack, nutritional expert and For the Ageless co-founder advised.

And a routine is vital to “keep the body’s sleeping patterns in sync”, Vitality behaviour change specialist Dr Roshane Mohidin explained.

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And don’t sleep on your stomach – sleeping on your side is the optimum position[/caption]

“Lots of people are working from home so they’ve lost the structure of having a daily commute and this can mean it’s more tempting to stay up a later and sleep in a bit more.”

The last piece of advice is to watch what you drink before you go to bed – and maybe reconsider that final cup of tea because of the amount of caffeine it has in it.

In other sleep news, this baby sleep expert has revealed her eyebrow stroke to help your tots doze off.

Try this hack on your feet to help yourself fall asleep quicker.

And here’s how often you should be washing your duet for a good night’s sleep.