FIVE ESSENTIALS FOR A GREAT NIGHT'S SLEEP

As the years have passed and I've got decidedly older and less inclined to go out raving, climbing into bed at the end of the day is probably one of my favourite things to do. From the feeling of fresh crisp sheets to my memory foam mattress perfectly moulded to my jelly booty, having seven hours of uninterrupted sleep sets me up for the day.

I can never really switch off straight away so I'll go to bed around an hour earlier than I know I need to drop off just to spend some time winding down and listening to some music or an Audible book. At the moment I'm listening to my Carrie Green Audible book, She Means Business, for the second time in a row. It's just so bloody inspirational I can't begin to explain. Listening to this before bed just reaffirms to me that I'm going to achieve my goals for the next day, the next week and the next month. You might think this would have the effect of waking me up even more, but often I'll drift off to Carrie's voice and have to remember to switch off before I fall into a slumber.

I find complete silence really hard to fall asleep to so always like some kind of background noise - note this doesn't mean my two cats meowing at 6.30am to be fed. When I lived in London the noise of everyday life sent me off to sleep - even in New York the constant sound of the taxis beeping and the madness of the city didn't faze me. A report that was sent over to me recently by premium mattress company MattressNextDay reveals that 65 per cent of people (out of 500 surveyed) agree with me and like to listen to music etc to drift off on a night. It also revealed that 26 per cent of people have kicked someone out of bed for snoring and trust me, I've done that before too.

The key for me to guarantee a great night's sleep is having a routine before bed so my body knows exactly when to switch off. That's where my five night time essentials come into it, starting with my cleansing routine.

You'll all know about my love for Liz Earle, and I've recently been trying the Superskin Concentrate Night Serum - a light oil which aids the repair of the skin as I sleep. I dispense two pumps into the palm of my hands, breath in the soothing pure essential oils of neroli, lavender and chamomile and massage upwards into my skin. This has really made a difference to my skin in the morning and although I started by using it under my moisturiser, I found that it was too much for sensitive skin and now I use it every other night just by itself after cleansing and toning. The Vitamin E is designed to repair the skin much quicker so here's to finally getting rid of my red acne scars. 

For super soft lips, I'll also add the Liz Earle balm, which is features naturally active ingredients include Alaria esculenta extract to plump, pomegranate seed oil to nourish and dragon’s blood extract, argan oil and shea butter to help protect against dryness.

As our bodies rest, we process, repair and recharge so once I'm cleansed, moisturised, lit a candle (this beautiful white tea one from Sweetpea & Willow is my latest favourite) and have put my fresh cactus print pj's on from ASOS, I'll push a spritz of my This Works Lavender Pillow Spray over my bed (on both sides of the pillow as I have a habit of switching just before I go to sleep), and rub This Works Lavender oil on my pulse points. Both have an instant calming effect and I'd 100 per cent recommend adding lavender to your nighttime routine if you don't hate the smell. Just a couple of deep breaths and I can feel my shoulders drop.

What would you say your night time essentials are? Do you listen to music, read or use lavender before bedtime to make sure you get a good night's sleep?

*In partnership with MattressNextDay

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