OK, we're ready to start and will kick off with some questions on sleep remedies. Let’s start with one from Hilary.

Hilary wants to know:

I took some herbal tablets to help me sleep once - can’t remember the name - and got worried as they completely knocked me out. I'm just concerned I'll get reliant on them? Do you recommend them?

Dr Trisha Macnair said:

Lots of people get some relief from herbal remedies, such as Valerian but there isn't much scientific evidence to show they work. They may also cause abnormal sleep, which may be why you wake up feeling knocked out. It's better to use truly natural remedies such as exercise, foods and good bedroom environment.

Nivi's question is probably relevant for all of us - she wants to know:

How do we guarantee a relaxed nights sleep?

Dr Trisha said:

Three tips to help - but no guarantees. First, regular routine is vital, go to bed about the same time and get up around the same time after about 7 - 71/2 hours sleep. Secondly, a good pre-sleep routine. Exercise to the point of short of breath for 20 minutes earlier in the day, engage in relaxing pre-sleep activities such as a warm bath, avoiding stimulants such as caffeine in tea, coffee and cocoa and thirdly, create a comfortable bedroom environment that is cool and peaceful with a bed that’s firm enough for you. A comfortable bed will certainly help you get a good night sleep. Have a good look at your current bed, if it's starting to sag or if you wake up with backache, it's definitely time to consider a replacement.

On the subject of caffeine that was mentioned in the last response, Sarah wants to know:

If I have several drinks a day that contain caffeine (like tea or coffee) should I be drinking more than two litres of water a day to compensate?

Dr Trisha said:

Water can't compensate or neutrilise caffeine, avoid caffeine and stimulant containing drinks for up to three hours before bedtime. Try not drink too much before bedtime as you'll need to get up several times to go to the loo.

In response to the first question, NoPeasPlease wants to know:

You mention foods in your recommendation for natural remedies...what kind of foods?

Dr Trisha said:

In general avoid large meals and spicy foods for at least three hours before bedtime. But foods that are rich in carbohydrates increase the brains production of a chemical call serotonin which helps sleep. Good foods include bananas or muffins or toast or rice or biscuits, so you might want to snack on these before bedtime.

We've had a number of questions about sleep remedies submitted over the last few days, but here's certainly one of the more unusual ones as Angela asks:

My friend has suggested that I listen to whale music, as it'll make me sleep better. Is there any truth to this?

Dr Trisha said:

There is some evidence that certain types of noise often - white noise can help some people clear their minds and get to sleep. This might be whales, seaside sea or as many parents know the noise of a hoover or hairdryer can help get babies to sleep. So give it go, it might work to get you off to sleep, but won't improve the quality of your sleep.

We've got a couple of questions related to sharing your bed (with regards to sleep of course!!) starting with Raymond who wants to know

Do you think we were designed as animals to share a bed? My partner and I really struggle to sleep together, but I don’t want to be like an old couple and have separate beds - and before you suggest it - we don’t have room for a massive king size bed - can you recommend anything - I assume we're not alone in our plight!

Natalie said:

We're social creatures and animals often nest together! If you have the room, a king-size or the even bigger super king-size is definitely a solution to not disturbing each other’s sleep as you both have much more room to spread out. Silentnight Beds Miracoil spring system features ‘no roll together’ as the springs run from head to toe. This means the weight is spread up and down the bed instead of into your partner’s side ensuring you both get peaceful night’s sleep.

Continuing with sharing your bed with your partner, Ash wants to know:

I find that having the radio on helps me sleep, but when I wake up in the middle of the night, I can’t really put it on as it will wake my wife up! Any thoughts!

Dr Trisha said:

Try headphones or earplugs for her or listen to the radio in another room until you feel sleepy and then go back to bed. Or maybe put a radio on a timer until it goes off.

We're going to move on to questions about sleep patterns, starting with Clive who wants to know:

What do you think about people falling into two camps - owls and larks - and does this run in the family. I struggle to get to sleep and am still buzzing at midnight with work in my head, but because I have to get up at 5.30am, it means I get little sleep and then am shattered come the weekend.

Dr Trisha said:

There is now research to show that our genes control whether we are morning larks or night owls, so it does run in the family. But it sounds like you are simply sleep deprived or may be suffering from a condition called advanced sleep phase disorder, you may need to reset your body clock - search the web on this condition and try hard to follow simple tips for promoting sleep and getting to bed earlier. Perhaps you need to deal with the stress at work in a different way.

Paula wants to know:

I am a 40-year-old single woman. I can fall asleep easily but wake up between 3.00 and 4.00 AM and cannot get back to sleep again. What should I do?

Dr Trisha said:

One possible reason for your problem may be a condition which becomes very common with mid-life called delayed sleep phase syndrome. You may need to reset your body clock by going to bed three hours later everyday until things settle down. Search the web for info on this. It also helps to control your body clock with exposure to bright light. Another possible explanation for early morning waking is depression, talk to your doctor if this may be the case.

Matt wants to know:

Are you more likely to find it harder to sleep the older you get?

Dr Trisha said:

Yes, for several reasons. Firstly the body changes and older people produce less of the hormones that control sleep such as melatonin and growth hormone. There are also changes in the body’s temperature cycle, which can interfere with sleep. Secondly many medical conditions are much more common as we get older. Problems such as arthritis, backache, heart disease, lung disease, obesity can all cause havoc in our sleep. Thirdly, as people get older they tend to less exercise (which is essential for good sleep) and may have less mental stimulation during the day.

Lindsay Martin wants to know:

Please could you advise me on average, how many hours sleep do we need per night? Thanks.

Dr Trisha said:

The vast majority of people need 7 - 7 1/2 hours sleep, you may need more during periods of growth (teenagers really do need those lie ins) or when you are recovering from illness. Some people claim to need only 3 - 4 hours sleep but most are kidding themselves and either catch up with cat naps or perform badly all day due to lack of sleep.

Last one on sleep patterns for now, Nicola wants to know:

Sometimes when it is late at night and I feel a bit tired, I will go to bed but as soon as my head hits the pillow. I can't seem to click off straight away; sometimes it takes me a couple of hours to fall to sleep. So I was just wondering what could be causing this. Thanks.

Natalie said:

It could be that you’re simply not finding your bed comfortable and that it's not giving you the support you need for a good nights sleep. Or you could consider a replacement.

Dr Trisha said:

Are you following all the tips for getting good sleep - routine, good pre-sleep relaxation and a comfortable bedroom environment? Consider advanced sleep phase syndrome and bright light therapy. If you can't sleep, never stay in bed for more than twenty minutes. Get out, go to another room and quietly read until you feel tired.

That last answer leads us nicely on to questions about the environment that you sleep in, starting with Ruth's question:

I've seen one programme on TV about creating the right environment for your bedroom and they said don’t have things like a TV in your bedroom - do you go along with this idea?"

Dr Trisha said:

Yes, I totally agree. Move the TV, turn off the stereo and if there is a computer in you bedroom move that as well. A bedroom should be for sleep and one other activity!

Hannah wants to know:

Do you have any tips for decorating a nursery? I'm having a baby soon and would like to get the ambience right.

Dr Trisha said:

Build your own bed next to the cot so that you can camp down next to the howling monster. I joke here based on my own experience with children. A child’s bedroom should, like an adult’s bedroom, be peaceful, not too hot and stuffy and some people even suggest that the colours of the walls can also help with relaxation. Include a CD player because sometimes gentle noise helps a child get off to sleep.

In response to Natalie's earlier response, Katrina has asked:

How often should you buy a new bed?

Natalie said:

The sleep council and we at Silentnight Beds would recommend that you keep your bed no longer that ten years. And you may wish to replace it earlier if it has started to become uncomfortable or is causing you to wake with back pain.

Lala wants to know:

I suffer from terrible stress related insomnia. How can I make my bedroom an environment more conducive to sleep? Are certain colours more soothing than others?

Dr Trisha said:

It's often said that green is particularly relaxing colour. TV guests traditionally are entertained in the ‘greenroom’, which relates back to theatre traditions where a green room was to suppose to relax the actors before they went on. A comfortable bed is essential and a peaceful environment if you are feeling stressed. Have you tired relaxation techniques such as yoga or massage or simply a warm deep bubble bath before bed?

Margot wants to know:

Hi - just wondering if there are particularly essential oils that have been proven to assist sleep?

Dr Trisha said:

There are various herbal remedies either in the form of an essential oil for massage, a herbal pillow, teas or even tablets. There is no really substantial evidence that they help but lots of people find something that works for them and although some people such as pregnant women need to be careful, there aren't likely to be many side effects, give them a try.

Moving on to health related questions, David wants to know:

Can sleeplessness lead to psychological or psychiatric problems cause someone to develop a psychopathic personality, or even lead a person to practice violent behaviour?

Dr Trisha said:

Being sleep deprived certainly makes you irritable, less tolerant and prone to angry outbursts. However, although it might trigger pre-existing psychological problems it's unlikely to be the root cause.

On a similar theme, Mona wants to know:

Can sleeplessness interfere with memory, intellect, and creativity?

Dr Trisha said:

It certainly can, studies have shown that just one night of lost sleep can wipe out our ability to generate creative ideas. Chronic sleep deprivation can seriously interfere with academic and work performance and place havoc with your memory. Although we don't know exactly what sleep is for, it seems to collect and lay down memories in terms of building brain connections. If you learn something and then sleep your brain builds twice as many connections as if you just stay awake. So students forget those all night revision sessions, revise everything once and then sleep on it. Pain is something that often disturb sleep especially as we get older. Try everything you can to deal with your pain from regular painkillers to warm baths, massage and heated pads. Chronic low back pain is very common and research has shown that one of the most effective things you can do is to make sure you’re sleeping on a medium firm mattress that is comfortable for you...

A Moderator said:

Micky wants to know: "Can sleep apnoea run in the family?"

Dr Trisha said:

Sleep apnoea can run in the family for a variety of reasons. In this condition the airway becomes blocked during sleep. Not enough oxygen gets to the brain and the person wakes up hundreds of times a night as when they increase their level of consciousness they are able to breath in deeply again. One of the causes is obesity - a collar size greater than 15 1/2 starts to increase the risk in men. Obesity often runs in families and there are probably other genetic factors too.

Amanda wants to know:

What are the signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea?

Dr Trisha said:

Noisy sleep with periods of deep snoring followed by episodes where breathing seems to stop completely. People with the condition may find their performance at work is terrible and they are constantly tired irritable and depressed. It may interfere with growth when it occurs in children, typically when they have large tonsils and adenoids blocking their airway.

Ashley wants to know:

My friend told me that sleep apnoea is a serious condition, which may cause stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Is my friend correct?

Dr Trisha said:

Sleep apnoea puts an enormous strain on the body especially the heart and is linked to all these conditions and may cause sudden death. This should be taken seriously because it disrupts people’s lives enormously.

Moderator said:

We've unfortunately run out of time so I'm going to ask both Dr Trisha and Natalie for one tip from each of them for a good night's sleep . . .

Natalie said:

A bed that will support your back and feel comfortable for you will help ensure you sleep well.

Dr Trisha said:

A routine before sleep and for sleep times is essential for everyone and not just babies.