ITV The Chase star Darragh Ennis shares 'genius' tip to help you sleep better
The Chase's Darragh Ennis, also known as The Menace on the popular ITV quiz show, has shared a tip that could revolutionise your sleep. While he's widely recognised for his quizzing prowess, Darragh is also a neuroscientist and has penned a book about the human body titled 'The Body: 10 Things You Should Know'.
In a recent TikTok video, Darragh delved into why so many of us find it difficult to nod off at night and disclosed a straightforward change we can make to ensure a more restful slumber.
Darragh explained that the habit of scrolling through our phones before hitting the hay can hinder sleep due to the type of light these devices emit.
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He elaborated: "Did you ever wonder why it is that looking at your phone at night can make it hard to go to sleep? It's all to do with light. Backlit screens emit a lot of light, and we've evolved to be active during the day.
"Our bodies tend to get tired when it's dark outside. Our brain does this by using signals from our eyes about how much light there is, but also what colour light we see. If we take in blue light, a lot of which comes from backlit screens, the production of the hormone melatonin decreases. Melatonin is one of the key things that helps make us sleepy.", reports Dublin Live.
Many modern phones and backlit devices now come with blue light filter options that can be set to activate automatically at certain times of the day. These filters are designed to block out blue light in an effort to reduce eye strain in the evening, but according to Darragh, they don't do much for improving sleep quality.
He remarked: "The blue light filters and things don't seem to have much impact either. Lots of studies have shown this because [with] other parts of the light spectrum, particularly yellow light, our brain thinks that it is coming from midday sunlight. This also stops us from getting sleepy."
For those struggling with sleeplessness at bedtime and searching for a simple remedy, Darragh recommends leaving your phone behind when you go to bed.
He suggested: "If you really want to get better sleep, it has been shown that the best thing you can do is not look at a backlit screen at all. If you want to read or anything, it's better to put your phone down and read a book."
Tips for improved sleep from NHS Every Mind Matters.
The NHS' Every Mind Matters initiative offers several tips to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy better-quality sleep once you do. Their advice includes establishing a good sleep routine.
One key aspect of good sleep hygiene is maintaining a consistent routine, which involves setting specific times for winding down before bed, as well as sticking to regular sleeping and waking times.
2. Unwind and consider meditation for better sleep.
Steer clear of electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime, as mobiles, tablets and computers emit blue light that hinders sleep. Reading, listening to soothing music or a podcast, or practising sleep meditation can all aid if you struggle with sleep.
3. Embrace mindfulness for improved sleep.
Anxiety, worry and stress can impact the quality of our sleep. Fortunately, there are daily practices you can adopt to manage your worries, such as confiding in someone you trust or jotting down your concerns in a notebook.
If you frequently find yourself lying awake with worries, allocate time before bed to compile a to-do list for the following day, as this can be an effective way to ease your mind.
4. Cultivate the ideal sleep environment.
Generally, it's easier to drift off to sleep in a quiet, dark, and cool setting, although the perfect sleep environment is subjective. So, experiment with different things and discover what suits you best.
You might find that wearing earplugs and silencing your phone can help you eliminate distractions and fall asleep quicker.
Good curtains or blinds can assist in keeping a room dark and prevent unwanted light by keeping clocks out of sight and phones face down. Some people also find it beneficial to play sleep-inducing music, such as ambient sounds like rainfall, gentle tunes or white noise.
5. Avoid forcing sleep.
If you find yourself tossing and turning, unable to drift off, don't force it. If you're weary and relishing the sensation of rest, sleep may naturally ensue.
However, if sleep eludes you, rise from your bed and settle in a cosy spot to engage in a calming activity, such as reading a book or listening to soothing music.
6. Enhance sleep with diet and exercise.
Maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity can aid relaxation and promote better sleep. Steer clear of hefty meals before hitting the hay, and aim to cut out caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine prior to bedtime.
The general guidance is to dodge stimulants 1 to 2 hours before retiring for the night.
Regular physical activity aids sleep, but refrain from vigorous workouts in the 90 minutes leading up to bedtime if you find it hinders your ability to nod off.
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Rob has worked in the NHS in some form for 28 years, starting at the age of 15 in a hospital kitchen. He added: 'I've got a lot of good will towards the NHS so yeh I try my best to make it work.' But NHS dentistry cannot rely on good will alone. The British Dental Association warned the Public Accounts Committee earlier this year that the Treasury has become reliant on practices delivering care at a loss - fuelling an exodus of NHS dentists into lucrative private work. The professional body estimates a typical practice loses over £40 delivering a set of NHS dentures and £7 for every new patient exam. A Parliamentary report by the Health Select Committee has described the state of NHS dentistry as "unacceptable in the 21st century". The NHS contract effectively sets quotas on the maximum number of NHS patients a dentist can see as it caps the number of procedures they can perform each year. At the same time over a decade of real terms funding cuts under the Tories means the £3 billion NHS dental budget for England is only enough to treat around half of the population. Devon worst 'Dental Desert' Data from 700,000 participants in last year's GP Patient Survey showed it is hardest to get an NHS dentist appointment in South West England. Questions on dentistry focused on respondents who had attempted to get an NHS dental appointment in the last two years suggests Devon may be one of the country's worst dentistry deserts. Survey responses were grouped by regional Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) which include NHS bodies, local councils and voluntary organisations. The One Devon ICB is responsible for the health of the population in the county. Among people who were already in with an NHS dentist, Devon saw just 72% of people successfully get an appointment. In the wider South West region this was 74% while for England as a whole it was 84%. Dentists for All campaign Save NHS Dentistry petition Sign our petition to save NHS dentistry and make it fit for the 21st century Our 3 demands Everyone should have access to an NHS dentist More than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care last year – more than 1 in 4 adults in England. At the same time 90% of dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients. Data from the House of Commons Library showed 40% of children didn't have their recommended annual check-up last year. Restore funding for dental services and recruit more NHS dentists The UK spends the smallest proportion of its heath budget on dental care of any European nation. Government spending on dental services in England was cut by a quarter in real terms between 2010 and 2020. The number of NHS dentists is down by more than 500 to 24,151 since the pandemic. Change the contracts A Parliamentary report by the Health Select Committee has branded the current NHS dentists' contracts as 'not fit for purpose' and described the state of the service as "unacceptable in the 21st century". The system effectively sets quotas on the maximum number of NHS patients a dentist can see as it caps the number of procedures they can perform each year. Dentists also get paid the same for delivering three or 20 fillings, often leaving them out of pocket. The system should be changed so it enables dentists to treat on the basis of patient need. Have you had to resort to drastic measures because you couldn't access an NHS dentist? Are you a parent struggling to get an appointment for a child? Email or call 0800 282591 Of those who attempted to get an appointment at a practice they had not been seen at before, only 14% were successful in Devon. This compared to 19% in the South West region and 33% as the average for England. The big caveat is that many will not have tried to get an appointment if they thought they had no chance. The data shows only a minority of dentists are taking on new adult patients, and in Devon and the South West, hardly any are. British Dental Association chair Eddie Crouch said: 'This shows why the government is right to commit to major surgery for NHS dentistry, rather than mere sticking plasters. But we need pace. This service is on the critical list, and demoralised dentists are walking away every day this contract remains in force. If we don't make a break in this Parliament there may not be a service left to save.' A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'This government inherited a broken NHS dental system but we are getting on with fixing it through our 10 Year Health Plan. 'We have already begun the rollout of 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments, a 'golden hello' scheme is underway to recruit dentists to areas with the most need and we are reforming the NHS dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists - including introducing tie-ins for those trained in the NHS."
