Freelance journalist Kim Jones tells us about her new book, 222 Ways to Trick Yourself to Sleep.

Your book in three sentences…
A collection of wide-ranging, scientifically-supported and research-backed strategies, tips and tricks to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. A mix of everything from breathing techniques, mind-calming tactics, before-bed wind-down tricks, relaxing body moves, diet and lifestyle advice, psychological approaches – plus how to spend your day to get the best night’s sleep possible and tips on taking the stress out of sleeping. Written in an easy-to-understand and follow format, user-friendly, useful and – hopefully – a fascinating read, too.

How did you come to write 222 Ways to Trick Yourself to Sleep?
As a health journalist I’m regularly getting asked by editors to write about sleep and to come up with any new angles, research and advice. A particular ‘sleep tips and tricks’ feature I wrote for The Daily Mirror back in 2013 – which highlighted practical tips to help send you to sleep – has consistently reappeared in the ‘Most Read’ section of their Lifestyle Pages for years. It’s been shared and commented on thousands of times, with many readers saying they’d found the advice useful. I felt there was a market out there for a book that collated often complicated scientific studies and psychological sleep research and translated them into an easy-to-understand format comprising accessible tips and strategies as per the article – and so the idea was born.

Any tips for other journalists thinking of writing a book?
Obviously you have to know your subject inside-out and have a constant thirst to acquire new knowledge on it. Then you need to have a burning desire to impart and share that knowledge with readers. Life is better when you’re getting good sleep and it feels quite the privilege that my book might help readers improve their wellbeing.

What book(s) are you reading right now (or about to pick up)?
I’ve just started Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout which a friend has gifted me and I’m looking forward to reading The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben. Sounds strange, but I’ve always loved trees and walking in woodlands and this book will make me even more enamoured of them, I’m sure. The blurb says it looks at how trees are like human families, living with their children, sharing nutrients with sick or struggling trees and warning other trees of impending dangers. How amazing.

Where can we read your everyday journalism? (Outlets or sites; specific links if you want to share them)
I regularly write for The Daily Mirror, Daily Express and Tesco magazine.

Are you available for commissions [as a journalist, speaker, trainer, ghost writer, other]?
Yes, as a journalist, copywriter, author and speaker.

If I’m a PR professional/business with a story for you, can I get in touch (and what’s best for you)?
Yes, absolutely – always happy to hear from PRs and businesses about new trends/stories. Email is best kimjonesfeatures@hotmail.co.uk

222 Ways to Trick Yourself to Sleep: Scientifically Supported Ways to Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep by Kim Jones (14/3/2019 by Piatkus) is available from https://amzn.to/2uzlnhg. Connect with Kim via her website kimjoneswrites.co.uk, Twitter on @Kimsfeatures and Instagram @kimjoneswrites or https://profiles.responsesource.com/p/XEmT/kim-jones