The Chase star Darragh Ennis, also known as The Menace, has shared a ‘genius’ trick to help you fall asleep quickly and get a better night’s rest – and it’s super easy to do
Tweaking just a single element of your nightly routine could revolutionise your sleep, according to The Chase star Darragh Ennis. Known to viewers as The Menace on the popular ITV quiz show, Darragh is also a neuroscientist and has penned a book delving into the wonders of the human body titled ‘The Body: 10 Things You Should Know’.
In his most recent TikTok video, Darragh explains why so many of us find it tough to nod off at night and shares a foolproof tip for ensuring a peaceful sleep. It turns out there’s only one small change we need to make to our bedtime ritual.
Darragh points out that pre-sleep scrolling on smartphones can be detrimental to our ability to fall asleep due to the way our brains respond to the light emitted by these devices.
He explained: “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.”
He continued: “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.”
Many modern phones and gadgets now come with blue light filter options that can be set to kick in at certain times, aimed at blocking blue light to ease eye strain in the evenings. However, Darragh points out that these settings might not be as helpful for sleep as one might hope.
He shared: “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 nocturnal restlessness and looking for a simple fix, Darragh recommends ditching your phone before bed.
His advice: “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.”
How to sleep better
The NHS’ Every Mind Matters campaign offers several tips to help you fall asleep faster and enjoy a more restful sleep. Their guidance includes:.
1. Establish a consistent sleep routine
Creating a regular sleep pattern can greatly enhance sleep quality. Often referred to as sleep hygiene, a solid sleep routine should involve setting specific times for winding down and going to bed, as well as waking up consistently each day.
2. Relax and try 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. If you struggle to drift off, reading, listening to calming music or a podcast, or practising sleep meditation can all be beneficial.
3. Give mindfulness a go for improved sleep
Anxiety, worry and stress can all 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 some time before bed to compile a to-do list for the following day – this can be an effective way to ease your mind.
4. Cultivate the ideal sleep environment
Generally, it’s easier to fall asleep in a quiet, dark, and cool setting, but the perfect sleep environment is subjective. So, experiment with different conditions to see what suits you best.
You might discover that wearing earplugs and silencing your phone helps you eliminate distractions and fall asleep quicker.
Good-quality curtains or blinds can keep a room dark and prevent unwanted light from clocks or phones by keeping them out of sight or face-down. Some people also find it helpful to play sleep-inducing music, such as ambient sounds like rainfall, soothing tunes or white noise.
5. Avoid forcing sleep
If you find yourself wide awake, struggling to drift off, don’t force it. If you’re weary and relishing the rest, sleep might naturally ensue.
However, if sleep eludes you, rise and settle in a cosy spot to engage in a calming activity such as reading or listening to soothing music.
6. Enhance sleep with proper diet and exercise
Maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity can aid relaxation and improve sleep quality. Refrain from consuming large meals before hitting the sack, and aim to eliminate caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine prior to bedtime.
The general guideline is to steer clear of stimulants 1 to 2 hours before retiring for the night.
Regular physical activity promotes better sleep, but refrain from vigorous workouts in the 90 minutes leading up to bedtime if it hinders your ability to fall asleep.
