As anyone with insomnia will tell you, poor sleep can make it difficult to get through the day.

Around 15% of the Irish population suffers from the condition at some point in their life, experts estimate.

But insomnia is not just a lack of sleep: we all experience restless nights from time to time.

Those affected by the disorder rather have persistent difficulties initiating or maintaining sleep, according to Deirdre McSwiney of the Mater Private Sleep Disorders Clinic in Dublin.

The cognitive behaviour therapist told Newstalk’s The Right Hook that bedtime habits are key to tackling consistent sleep disruption.

“A big problem is the way we use the bedroom as a recreational space, with a TV at the foot of the bed, and coffee and phones on the bedside table,” she said.

Screens of all type should be banned from sleeping areas to allow the brain to switch off, Ms McSwiney told the show.

The therapist also encourages her patients to write to-do lists before going to bed, clearing the mind of worries ahead of a new day.

“Dealing with racing minds and intrusive thoughts is key. I talk a lot about the importance of having a period in the early part of the evening where you can put the day to bed - think about what has happened and then dump it from your head, get rid of it.”

Beds should only be slept in at night, when melatonin levels are at their highest, Ms McSwiney added.

Night shift workers without that option can improve their sleep by wearing sunglasses to block out light inhibiting those insomnia-easing hormones.

And we should all avoid exercise and hot showers before hitting the hay, she said.

Listen back to the full interview here: