How much sleep do you normally get per night on average? Tameside Radio's Breakfast presenter, who is used to getting up early in the morning, has some tips to help us get enough shut eye...

I'll let you into a secret. Sleep is something you become slightly obsessed with when you present a breakfast show. I've done 'earlies' now for five and a half years, and I still haven't perfected the art of getting enough shut eye. Admittedly, it's far trickier getting off to sleep on a summer's evening when it's still light outside. I feel like a naughty kid who's been packed off to bed early.

One former radio colleague had been scrimping on his slumber excessively, and actually nodded off midway through talking on the radio! Someone had to run into the studio and give him a gentle prod. Another friend fell asleep whilst live on the radio in York, and his gentle snoring was live on the airwaves for a good hour before he woke up. At least I've never done anything that embarrassing.

I do, however, feel the need to set nine alarms to ensure I'm out of bed on time at 5AM on weekday mornings, As a result, I'm always keen to learn some sleep secrets. The NHS recently released some handy guidance on the best way to maintain a healthy slumber schedule, and I thought I'd share them:

1) Keep regular hours. It's tempting to stick another episode of that new Netflix series you're binge watching, but going to bed when you feel tired and at roughly the same time every night helps teach your body to sleep better, and promotes a healthy sleep pattern. Experts also advise against a power nap in the afternoon if you want to get a regular schedule. No nodding off in the chair watching Countdown!

2) Create a restful environment. We're all guilty of going upstairs for an early night, and then spending ages scrolling through social media. This can't be good for your eyes, and dark, quiet and cool conditions are best for promoting nodding off in the boudoir. A newspaper is far better for your eyes as well! Blackout blinds or a blindfold are options I guess. I like a fan on when it's hot, although read recently that's not especially good for your health.

3) Be as active as possible during the day, and make exercise part of your daily routine. I've started parking further away from the supermarket, always using the stairs, and getting up and moving around after I've been sitting down for a while. I'm convinced these extra bits of 'Body Magic' (to borrow the Slimming World lexicon) all add up. Don't do strenuous workouts just before bedtime though. No danger of that, to be honest! I'm more likely to scoff kettle chips than pick up a kettlebell.

4) Consume less caffeine and alcohol before bed. Since I got myself a Fitbit, I've been amazed at how much higher my resting heart rate is during the night after an IPA or several. Similarly, I try not to have any coffee after 3PM. I used to take a black coffee to bed, which is a bit daft looking back. 

5) My favourite tip - write down your worries. If you often toss and turn, and have a cycle of thoughts about what you have to do tomorrow, or stuff on your mind, jot it all down to help put your mind at rest.

6) Confront sleeplessness. If you're lying awake staring at the ceiling, don't fight it for too long. Get up and do a crossword, or make a milky cuppa (caffeine free) or do something else for a bit before trying again.

All of this might help to increase your average hours spent asleep. I've always been baffled how anyone fits in 8-9 hours a night. There's so much else in life to get done! I'd settle for an average of seven hours. That's the dream.

Also this week, diesel at our local filling station has now broken the £2 a litre barrier, and there's no sign of the price rises slowing down. A trip to the supermarket for just a few items now costs significantly more. Yet most of us are not seeing our earnings rise at anywhere near the same rate. I don't have the answers, but I just wanted to express my hope that things get a little easier for all of us. Food banks do a terrific job, but I'd like to live in a country where they are superfluous to requirements.

You can listen to Alex every weekday from 7am to 11am and on the 'Super Scoreboard' show on Saturdays from 3pm to 7pm, on Tameside Radio 103.6FM. 

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