We all know that good sleep is good for us all. We go to bed tired and - all being well - we wake up refreshed, re-energised and ready to face the new day.

That ‘recharging’ process isn’t just physical, however. Good sleep is perhaps even more essential for our mental health.  Our busy lives pull us in so many different directions, with so many different work-life issues fighting for our attention. We leave thoughts half-formed, ideas half-forgotten, feelings unexpressed and self-care often neglected.

We are all SO much smarter than we think we are - though I’m not sure we can entirely claim much credit in this case. As we rack up our zeds, our unconscious minds go to work - it’s de-cluttering time!

Our brilliant brains re-process, repackage and organise our day’s experiences, then box them up nicely and put them up on shelves to give us a clearer run at tomorrow. Just like a wardrobe de-clutter, there are three big boxes - Keep (important information and memories); Bin (the unconscious sensations - the seen and felt, but not registered) and Sort Out (the niggles, the unresolved and the things that prey on our minds).

Have you ever woken up at 4am and been worried about something bizarrely trivial that wouldn’t even register during daylight hours? That’s because you’ve caught your brain in mid Sort Out flow, purging your distractions and anxieties. Had that ‘naked at a job interview’ dream? Yep, that would be it too. Just lie back and relax: it’s only a metaphor, and dreaming your fears is actually good for you.

When your mental health is good, your unconscious mind takes care of business while you sleep. The best thing you can do to help? It might be oily fish, omega three or something, but you know what’s just as good - and altogether more enjoyable?

The best, plumpest, comfiest sleep environment you can manage. Drift away on the fluffiest of fluffy clouds and let your unconscious mind do the heavy lifting.