Dream (days and nights)

Understanding your sleep style can be the first step to getting a good night’s rest.

The restless worrier

Takes a long time to fall asleep, wakes up often during the night, and usually feels tired in the daytime.

These stressed-out snoozers are more likely than most to experience issues such as depression, anxiety, stress or anger. They often report feeling unwell, even if doctors can’t find a medical reason. To break this cycle, it’s vital to work on both sleep and mental health.

The under-sleeper

Gets less than six or seven hours of sleep each night.

People who don’t get enough sleep tend to be more irritable and less easy-going. They often struggle with memory, attention and problem-solving tasks because of a lack of restless eye movement (REM) sleep.

REM is the vital fourth stage of sleep. Most adults need about two hours of REM sleep each night, which contributes to brain function, memory consolidation and emotional health.

The assisted sleeper

Relies on medication, herbal remedies, or supplements to manage sleep problems.

Becoming dependent on any medication is often problematic, especially for something as fundamental as sleep. Furthermore, assisted sleepers don’t do as well on memory tests and may struggle to pick up on social cues.

The broken sleeper

Wakes up several times each night and struggles to stay asleep.

If you’re feeling anxious, are overthinking things, come across as more irritable than before and find it harder to remember things, broken sleep may be the cause.

First, try to work out what’s waking you up – your GP can help with medical causes, such as needing to urinate often, or encountering hot flushes during menopause.

Regular exercise can improve sleep patterns, but it’s wise to avoid anything too energetic in the 90 minutes before you head to bed.

For more good advice visit www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-fall-asleep-faster-and-sleep-better.

If sleep issues are seriously affecting you, consult your GP.