When it comes to sleep hacks, it’s safe to say we’ve tried them all. Thanks to the advice of sleep experts, self-help books and scientific studies alike, more and more of us are learning about the science of sleep in a bid to improve our rest.

Whether it’s sleeping in a cold room to try and fall asleep faster (our body drops in temperature right before we fall asleep) to avoiding alcohol and late-night shopping binges (we’ve all been there), the amount of information available to us can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

The proof is in the pudding: despite all the information and advice we have at our fingertips, many of us are still struggling to reach the land of nod with ease in 2019. And the answer as to why could lie in the stressful lives we lead.

According to a recent study by the Mental Health Foundation, millennials are reporting higher levels of stress than their baby boomer colleagues. In fact, we’re feeling so stressed out that the World Health Organisation is calling stress the health epidemic of the 21st century – over one third of British people feel stressed at least one day a week. Thanks to our ‘always on’ culture – a term used to describe our current need to juggle everything and never really switch off from work – sleep has become a luxury rather than a commodity.

In a bid to change this fact, Stylist Loves’ editor Kat Poole – a self-proclaimed sleep (and stress) sufferer – decided to change her sleep habits for two weeks to see if she could reduce her stress levels and rest better. From eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up to reducing her caffeine intake and getting into bed before 10pm, Kat tried and tested some of the best expert advice out there.

But can better sleep really be the answer to lowering out stress levels? 

As Kat’s experiment shows, the answer is a resounding yes.

“I didn’t think this would have so much of an effect on me, but honestly I am getting a really solid night’s sleep most nights now,” she explained. “I’m not waking up. And when I do wake up in the morning, I feel way more refreshed and ready for the day.

“For anyone trying to lower their stress levels my advice would be: give these tips a go. You will be surprised at the effect that things you don’t even realise are having on your daily life, and you may be really pleasantly surprised at the outcome. I feel a lot calmer, a lot less anxious, and at work, projects don’t seem as scary or as stressful as they did before. In short, I feel, well, a lot less stressed.”

Watch our video above to find out how Kat fared in making small changes to her routine to see some big changes. 

Image: Getty