10 things you need to know about sleep.

This BBC science programme offers ten top tips for tricking your body into falling asleep more easily. A newsreader experiments with the premise that having a bath before you go to bed helps you sleepand apparently it is all about your core body temperature. It is the drop in temperature and the body cooling which aids sleep. Next, a man who describes himself as an insomniac tells his story. He is given a strict bedtime routine and is only allowed in the bedroom at specific times with the aim to break his distruptive sleep patterns. Next we learn how to nap using the experience of a yachtswoman, Dee Caffari. The best time is to nap between 2-5pm. The next problem is snoring. The science of snoring is explained. Next two volunteers test the premise that coffee keeps you awake and alcohol makes you sleepy in a sleep laboratory. Scientists demonstrate that sleep patterns are disturbed by drinking caffeine and alcohol. A visit to Moorfields Eye Hospital reveals how the eye processes light. Kate SIlverton, a television breakfast presenter, experiments with tricking her body into thinking it is daytime when in fact it is 3.00am by sitting in front of a blue daylight lamp. The influence of diet is then addressed. Identical twins are cooked two different meals by Aldo Zilli, one high in protein and the other high in carbohydrates. The higher carbohydrate meal makes you sleepier. Two racing car drivers who frequently travel transatlantically test how quickly they can re-adjust to different time zones. One draws the short straw and has to fast throughout the journey. Tests show that this can work to ease jet lag. A stand-up comedian and DJ, Russell Kane, with a hectic and stressful schedule, struggles with relaxation and a regular sleep routine. He learns a routine of tensing and relaxing his muscles for 15 minutes before bedtime. This proves effective. Finally, herbal potions are investigated. BBC gardening presenter Joe Swift and Sabina Haulkhory are set the task of finding two plants relating to sleep, lavendar and valerian. A medical herbalist Dee Atkinson supervises the preparation of medical tinctures.