Are preparations during the holiday season leaving you stressed and unable to sleep properly? Sleep is essential for vital functions such as tissue growth and repair, as well as restoring energy levels. The optimum amount of sleep for healthy adults is between seven to eight hours per night. However it's quality, not quantity that counts. Six hours uninterrupted sleep will leave you more refreshed than nine hours with frequent waking.

So if stress or worry is keeping you awake, the following proven sleep remedies may help restore normal sleep patterns, allowing you to enjoy your holidays.

BEDROOM PREPARATION:

Turn off the Gadgets

Your bedroom should be a tranquil and inviting place for sleep, not abuzz with televisions, cell phones or computers. Don't watch TV or work on a laptop in bed as these activities will prevent your brain from winding down in preparation for sleep.

Temperature

If possible, leave a window open for ventilation as fresh air encourages sleep. The ideal room temperature is around 64 degrees.

Bed

How long is it since you changed your mattress? With the average person spending 25 years in their bed, investing in a quality mattress should be a priority. Use cotton or linen bed sheets as they absorb more moisture than the synthetic kind.

Minimize Light

Ideally, your bedroom should be completely dark for optimum sleep. Darkness triggers production of the hormone melatonin, which in turn induces sleep. Curtains should be as thick as possible or use a blackout blind which virtually eliminates light.

BEDTIME PREPARATION:

Nightwear

Although they may seem old fashioned, wearing bedsocks helps stimulate healthy blood flow to your brain which is necessary for restful sleep.

Lavender

Lavender is an age old sleep remedy and one that's been shown to improve sleep quality by up to 20%. Placing a lavender scented sachet under your pillow case or spraying lavender oil around your room works well.

Bath

A warm bath before bed helps relax and soothe aching muscles. Try adding some lavender scented bath oil for further sleep inducing properties.

Ear Plugs

If noises easily waken you, it might be worthwhile purchasing ear plugs. These help by partially blocking the ear canal and dimming out noise. Wax ear plugs are particularly effective.

Food and Drink

Consuming a large meal late at night can cause indigestion whereas a light snack of dairy and carbohydrates is more helpful for promoting sleep.

Avoid coffee and alcohol close to bedtime. Caffeine acts as a stimulant, increasing the activity in your nervous system. Alcohol may send you to sleep readily enough, but sleep is more likely to be disrupted. A warm drink of milk is useful as it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that's converted into melatonin.

De-Cluttering

Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed. If you're still wakeful in the small hours, write down any thoughts circling your mind. Writing down thoughts can help de-clutter your mind, leaving you more readily able to embrace sleep.

Finally, always stick to the same bedtime routine, no matter how little you've slept. Trying to catch up on sleep at weekends doesn't help in the long run. Going to bed and rising at regular times each day is more likely to help re-establish good sleep patterns.