In autumn you may feel more tired due to shorter days and lack of sunlight; here's how to counteract it.

Finding it hard to wake up in the morning? The days are getting shorter, and it's dark outside when your alarm goes off at 6am. You may be getting the same amount of sleep as you did in the summer, but something about those gloomy autumn mornings make it much harder to wake up feeling alert and ready to face the day.

So what's going on? Sleep expert Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, explains that our biology is working against us. According to her, "In autumn it’s getting darker in an evening, which means melatonin is produced earlier and makes us feel sleepy. It is also darker in the mornings which keeps our melatonin levels high, meaning that we feel sleepy throughout the day."

To combat this, Lisa suggests positioning your alarm far away, using a sunrise alarm, putting the lights on soon after you wake up, and having a cold shower. Natural light helps signal to our body clock that it's time to wake up and stop producing melatonin. Additionally, she advises to "open your curtains so that as soon as it starts to get lighter you will feel the benefits. Consider using light box therapy if you really do struggle."

There are other things you can do to help beat winter tiredness. Lisa suggests to practice good sleep hygiene, including keeping regular sleep and wake hours and making sure you're sleeping on a comfortable bed. She also recommends changing up your pre-bedtime routine, reducing your alcohol intake, and eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats. Furthermore, it's worth getting a blood test to check your iron and vitamin D levels to see if you need supplements.

Finally, Lisa offers some tips on how to recover from a hangover. Eating blueberries before and after drinking can help with drink related inflammation. Sweet potatoes can replace magnesium and Vitamin A, and avocados and bananas contain high amounts of potassium to help protect your liver from damage. To finish off, she suggests eating roasted vegetables with wholewheat pasta for dinner.

To sum up, it's time to get your winter routine in check! If you need help, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure you wake up feeling energised and ready to take on the day.

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