‘How is your sleep these days?’

Helen Haythornthwaite says: ‘I’ve definitely been having strange dreams since lockdown, and I’ve been getting up about three times a night – although that’s probably more to do with menopause than lockdown! But sleep isn’t one of my main worries. I’m an early riser and very active – the kind of person who doesn’t even like having a lie-in at weekends. I’d rather get up and start my day. That means I get tired by the evening, so I usually find it easy to fall asleep – I’ll start reading my book, and be nodding off after a couple of pages. But I do know what it’s like to suffer from poor sleep, because I had a spell of it about three years ago. Back then, I found Headspace sessions on the WW app very helpful – I could listen to someone literally lulling me to sleep and it really worked. It’s great to know that there’s now a sleep tracker on the app, just in case those sleep problems recur.’

Manjeet Baker says: ‘Like a lot of people, I’ve been experiencing disrupted sleep and night terrors during lockdown. I guess it’s not surprising under the circumstances –what’s happening around us is very sad and stressful, so it’s bound to play on our minds. I’ve noticed that the quality of my sleep depends very much on what’s happened during my day. I’m still working as a key worker during lockdown, and I definitely find it harder to sleep if something stressful or upsetting has happened during the day. Another thing that has a big impact is how much I’m exposed to the news. At the beginning of lockdown, I was watching loads – you hear such terrible and frightening things, and your imagination runs away with you. But I recognised that it was making me feel anxious and contributing to poor sleep, so I’ve cut back now and things are a little better. I’m definitely planning to use the new sleep tracker – I’m sure it will help with these issues.’

**Maxine Matsuura says: '**I’m a notoriously poor sleeper, so the new sleep tracker on the WW app is good news for me. I’m already using it, and my plan is to use it to help me focus on establishing a healthy sleep routine. There’s definitely room for improvement! At the moment, it’s highlighted the fact that I’m not getting enough sleep – around six hours a night, whereas I should be getting between seven and nine hours. I’m not sure how much of that’s down to lockdown, though. It’s more about going to bed earlier and avoiding too much screen time once I have gone to bed. As a forensic scientist, I’m still going into the office most days, and have to get there very early, so I’m up at 5.30am and my routine hasn’t changed as much as it has for a lot of people. My problem is that I need to get better at going to bed earlier – at the moment, I don’t go until around 11.30pm. And even then, I’ll often start looking at my phone. Hopefully, tracking my sleep using the app will help me tackle these bad habits – I feel I’ve tackled my eating and fitness habits, but this is one area of healthier living that now needs my attention, so the app has come at the perfect time!’

Nicky Wright says: ‘I’m definitely intending to use the new sleep tracker – I’ve just started inputting my data. My sleep has been quite disrupted during lockdown, and some nights I’m only getting four or five hours. Sometimes I fall asleep straight away, other times I’m lying awake at 2 or 3am. The flip side is that I’ll often sleep for nine hours at the weekend, so it’s a bit all over the place. And I’ve been having crazy dreams, usually about being really busy and losing things. I’ve even dreamed that I mislaid my son! I’ve also had a several dreams about being in Las Vegas, where I used to travel for work conventions. It’s a crazy place, so that probably relates to the crazy times we are living in now. I already use Headspace to help me focus and relax, and I’ve used YouTube relaxation videos, too.

The new sleep tracker will be really helpful, and encourage me to be more mindful about my sleep patterns. Hopefully, it will help me make a conscious decision to go to bed at a reasonable hour and not look at Instagram non-stop while I’m there!’

Joe Lester says: ‘I’ve just started using the new sleep tracker, but I’m aware how important good sleep patterns are, and any help establishing them has to be a good thing. For myself, I’ve probably been sleeping more during lockdown. That’s because I’m working from home and have more time on my hands. I’m trying my best to stick to a routine and get up to exercise. The difference is that I’m not going out in the evenings, so I’m getting to bed earlier. There’s only so much TV you can watch! I’m lucky in that I don’t see sleep as a big problem for me, but if I do need help it’s more likely to be about the quality rather than quantity of sleep. I’m trying not to dwell on negatives, but there’s no denying that this is a stressful situation all round, so it must be having some kind of effect. I will be keeping an eye on my sleep and making sure lockdown doesn’t have a negative impact in the longer term.’