Amanda's Holden's unexpected hacks for ‘deep sleep’

Welcome to ‘How I sleep’, a series where we quiz people about their bedtime habits. We’re asking experts, well-known faces and friends of GH to share their evening wind-down routines – along with all their best tips for a decent night's sleep.

This month, Britain’s Got Talent judge, TV presenter and Revive Collagen ambassador Amanda Holden shares her views on jet lag, how she gets up for her morning show on Heart Radio and reveals why exercise is so important to her.

Are you a morning person?

Yes, I get up straight away. I've got an alarm clock which wakes me up gently with birds tweeting. The night before I always set everything out for the next day, like I did when I was at school. My outfit is laid out, bags are chosen, everything's by the front door that I need, it's organised. And then I'm out the door as soon as I’m ready. It's a well-oiled machine after seven years of doing it – and I still love it.

There are mornings when I wake up and go, ‘Oh, no, I could do with 10 minutes more’. I was at a friend's birthday lunch recently, and had too much rosé wine, and then had to host my breakfast show. But after a hash brown and some water, I’m normally okay. When I don’t have a hangover, I’ll drink a green juice in the morning, and have stacks of water.

Do you need a certain amount of sleep every night?

No, not really - when I’m doing my radio show, I have to be up at 5 a.m., but I don’t go to bed any earlier. I probably should. I go to bed at 10, because I love staying up to watch my shows on Netflix. I probably don't get enough sleep, but I've always been able to exist on whatever I get. I don't want to compare myself to Margaret Thatcher, but she only had five hours, and I'm pretty much the same. I can pretty much sleep anywhere too - if I’m in a car for more than 10 minutes, I fall asleep. On weekends my routine changes slightly - I'll go to bed at 11ish and wake up around half seven, so I get my full eight hours then.

How would you describe your sleep?

I sleep straight through most nights - I'm a very deep sleeper. There was a massive thunderstorm recently that everyone was talking about, but I didn’t wake up at all. My husband says I sleep talk, which he thinks is funny, but he’s a snorer. I don’t use any devices, as I can tell if I've had a broken sleep. I sometimes go to the bathroom around three, but I mainly sleep straight through and don't even dream.

Do you avoid alcohol to help you sleep?

No. In the summer I will definitely have an Aperol Spritz every day, and I actually think it helps me to relax. I'm so active all the time, so it helps me wind down.

So, is exercise part of your daily routine?

Yes, I like to go running, or work out on my Peloton, and I think that really helps with my sleep as well. If you can do a bit of exercise every day, even if it's just walking the dog or using the stairs more, it really does exhaust the body and makes you ready for sleep.

Do you take any supplements or sleep aids?

I take magnesium glycinate at night - I’m always fired up and full of ideas, so it allows my brain to switch off. I also take Revive Collagen Enhanced Pulse every morning. I've got one in every handbag, so if I forget it in the morning, I'll just have it in the day. It's not overwhelming, and it tastes nice, so it's convenient.

Amanda Holden's sleep essentials

What is your normal evening routine?

We'll always have dinner together as a family - and eat around the table. But then I like to shower, take off my make-up, and be in my pyjamas by 9 pm. Then I've got an hour to watch shows like America's Sweethearts or The Madison. But I'll always, no matter how much I want to binge the next episode, be brushing my teeth by 9.55 pm and be in bed by 10 pm. I keep my phone next to my bed for the alarm, but it's always on ‘do not disturb’- only my kids and my mum can override that. But I tend not to scroll on my phone at night, especially not in bed.

You travel a lot for work, what are your jetlag tips?

It’s all to do with mindset, so I pretend as though I'm not tired. I fight through the need to sleep, and I'll have coffee, a little Nespresso. I can't live without that machine. My poor friend Ashley Roberts is really suffering with jet lag at the moment. She's just come back from her Pussycat Dolls tour, and she's all over the place, waking up at 1 a.m. and staying awake. Thankfully, due to my mindset, I've never suffered from it.