How to sleep better

Exhausted from not getting a good night's sleep? Going to bed tired, but unable to drift off? Waking up in the early hours and struggling to get back to sleep? Find yourself needing a catnap during the day?

Then welcome to Gransnet's first Sleep Week! From reading the forums it's clear that sleep (or a lack thereof) affects so many of us. Thanks to snoring partners, the menopause, racing minds and troublesome bladders, it's clear getting a decent night's sleep is tricky at the best of times. So in the interests of pooling our knowledge, as well as getting some expert opinions and advice on the subject, we've got a number of things planned for this week.

And did we mention PRIZES? Yes, we've got a number of fabulous giveaways too. Scroll down for the full list of what's on offer - and all you have to do for a chance to win is post on any of our Sleep Week threads (T&Cs below). We'll be posting a few a day so keep your eyes peeled on this page and in our newsletter for new threads.

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Over the week we'll be talking about:

how to manage the things that are keeping you awake
tips to fall asleep (and stay there)
how to hide or minimise the tell-tale effects of a poor night's sleep
plus a Q&A with sleep expert Lisa Artis from The Sleep Charity

Sleep Week threads

We'll be updating this list as we start new threads throughout the week, so don't forget to bookmark this page and keep checking back!

What you could win...

A luxury Bannatyne Elemis Spa Day with 110 Minutes of Treatments for Two, worth £298

Delight in the luxury of a spa day for two at one of a tempting selection of Bannatyne spas. Enjoy being treated to two revitalising treatments each, including a refreshing 55-minute high performance ELEMIS facial, plus either a vigorous ELEMIS Freestyle Deep Tissue Full Body Massage or a moisturising ELEMIS Rose Restore massage. Indulge in some pampering and relaxation for two before making use of the leisure facilities at your chosen spa location. Take your pick from a range of peaceful spots, from chic city retreats to beautiful country houses.

Find out more about BuyaGift here.

T&Cs for this prize: This voucher is valid for two people. Available week round, year round. Treatment time includes collection from and to the waiting area, a consultation, undress/redress and 'hands-on' treatment time. Please bring gym and swimwear for use of the facilities. Minimum age: 18 years. All dates are subject to availability.

Bombshell Limited Edition Bell Sleeve Wrap dress in a Brown Dot Crepe, RRP £269

This limited edition dress is a beautiful precision-designed no-gape wrap dress with bell sleeves, which adds elegance to your everyday outfit. One lucky gransnetter will win this stunning dress - available in sizes 8-22 (depending on stock availability).

Bombshell is an iconic UK brand offering beautifully made clothing which fit, flatter and empower women to feel confident. 90% of their dresses are made in London using a family-run factory and the finest quality fabrics and techniques. Did you know that 30% of UK women are size 16 or over? As Bombshell designs for curves, you can look and feel fabulous in their beautifully made dresses.

Find out more about Bombshell here.

This Is Silk pure silk pillowcase and eye mask - together worth over £75

Silk is proven to give youthful skin and thicker hair. Using pure silk pillowcases, hair wraps, hair bands, eye and face masks and cleansing cloths prevents ageing of the skin and thinning of the hair due to harmful friction caused by cotton. Silk regulates body heat, keeps oils and moisturisers on the skin and hair and prevents fine lines, wrinkles, hair breakage and frizz. Award-winning This Is Silk uses the highest quality, 22 momme (20% thicker than other brands) pure, sustainably produced mulberry silk.

Find out more about This Is Silk here.

Curious Rose pure wool microwave wheat bag and matching knitted bed-socks - together worth £50

We all know how feeling cosy in bed can help us to get a better night's sleep. Curious Rose's pure wool wheat bag and matching woolly bed-socks are a colourful, cuddly way to drift off, whatever the weather. Especially since, according to the National Sleep Foundation, warming your feet before you go to bed helps give your brain a clear signal that it's bedtime, and helps you relax into a natural sleep.

Find out more about Curious Rose here.

Quercus book bundle - together worth over £60

One winner will receive this bundle of books - perfect for relaxing just before bedtime:

I Am Not Your Baby Mother (paperback) – Candice Brathwaite
The Fear-Fighter Manual – Luvvie Ajayi-Jones
To the Greatest Heights – Vanessa O’Brien
The Postscript Murders (paperback) – Elly Griffiths
A Toolkit for Modern Happiness – Dr Emma Hepburn

This selection of five books from Quercus Books will uplift and motivate you, make you smile and keep you on the edge of our seat. You’ll want to make time for yourself as you’re bound to get lost in the pages of these brilliant books.

Find out more about Quercus here.

How to win

Simply post on any of our Sleep Week threads started by GNHQ - you can find a full list of them here - by 11am on Saturday 20 March. On Monday 22nd March we'll then select five of those threads at random, and select a winner at random from each selected thread and allocate them one of the prizes above. So the more threads you post on, the more chance you have of winning!

Usual T&Cs apply. We will notify all winners of their win via email on Monday 22nd March, and announce them on our Won Anything thread. Don't forget - you must be a registered Gransnet user to enter and post on our forums - you can register here.

Good luck from all at GNHQ!