Health Sleep better tonight! People with arthritis often find it difficult to sleep because of the pain, but simple lifestyle changes can help make a difference. Follow our tips to get yourself a good nights kip Words: Louise Ramsay Keep to a regular bedtimeroutine Being in pain can really affect your ability to get a good nights rest, but a regular bedtime routine can help you get on top of things. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can improve sleep duration and quality, says Christopher-James Harvey, associate director of sleep medicine at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences. For it to work, you need to keep to the same pattern seven days a week. If you require a nap during the day, keep it short 10 minutes is best. Naps that are too long affect how well you sleep at night. Wind-down routine Try to stick to a regular, 90-minute wind-down routine before you go to bed, where you steer clear of any stimulating activities, says Harvey. Watching TV is fine, as long as it isnt a programme that gets you up in arms and keep the telly out of the bedroom. Consciously slowing your breathing to a regular pace for 20 minutes at bedtime can help you to drop off andimprove sleep quality as can progressive muscle-relaxation techniques, where you consciously relax bitsof your body in turn. Meditation can be useful for improving sleep quality when dealing with the pain of arthritis, while mindfulness learning how to live in the moment isalso beneficial. Light on, light off Exposure to the blue light emitted by digital screens before bed can disrupt the production ofsleep hormone melatonin but, currently, were not convinced this is clinically important, says Harvey. Wedo, however, need exposure to daylight, to set our body clocks and get us off to sleep at night. Exactly how much daylight we need is hard to quantify, but our bodies are most sensitive to light inthe morning, so ifyou can get out first thing. But if your aches and pains make it too difficult to do that, any morning light will still be of benefit. Sitting by a window during the day does help, but you wont gain the same level of light intensity as goingoutdoors. Remember, too, to turn the lights down low in the evening and make sure that your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool aim for a temperature no higher than 19C, says Harvey. Physical therapies Caffeine can disrupt sleep for up to six hours before bedtime, so stick to morning brews and watch your intake of caffeinated fizzy drinks, too Lavender essential oil isnt a cure for insomnia, but it can help you to relax and, potentially, improve the quality of your sleep, even if the benefit is only psychological. Try using it in a diffuser overnight, orsprinkle a few drops on your pillow. Acupuncture can help break bad sleephabits and get you on the road to a good nightsrest. Massage has been shown to reduce pain and anxiety, potentially helping you to sleep better. Try acouple of 30-minute sessions twice a week to see ifyounotice a difference. Pressure massage applied tothe muscles around joints affected by osteoarthritis has also been shown to be beneficial. Food and drink Try not to eat after 8pm, as research suggests this can affect the quality of your snooze and if you enjoy an after-dinner coffee, its time to think again. Caffeine can disrupt sleep for up to six hours before bedtime, so stick to morning brews and watch your intake of caffeinated fizzy drinks, too. While a couple of glasses of wine or pints of beer might get you off to sleep, youll toss and turn later onin the night because of it. Drinking alcohol as long as six hours before you go to bed can affect your sleep, so try to limit how much you drink. Smoking also affects sleep quality and duration so thats another good reason to give up. Light exercise Regular, moderate exercise can improve sleep quality and duration significantly. In fact, those who rack up the recommended 150 minutes of weekly activity are 65 per cent less likely to feel tired during the day. Cardiovascular exercise has the most impact, particularly if its done in the morning, says Harvey. Almost any kind of exercise will have benefits, whether its a low-impact brisk walk, a gentle ride onyour bike, or a bit of yoga or tai chi. Finally, be nice to yourself. Keeping a balance between what you expect to achieve and what you actually do is really important. If you feel guilty about not doing much to improve your lifestyle, its not goingto help you sleep at night. So be realistic and just do what you can.