Police have released an image of a 47-year-old man reported missing from Edinburgh and ask for the help of the public in tracing him.
Coen Bust was last seen getting off a train at Dunkeld Train Station at 10.18am on Thursday, 13 March, 2025. He had left Edinburgh Waverley Station at 8.30am.
He is described as of heavy build with a long, greying beard.
He was last seen wearing a mustard-coloured jacket and carrying a large rucksack and a red/orange metal water bottle.
Inspector Alison Lawrie, Drylaw Police Station, said: “We want to trace Coen Bust as quickly as possible and I would ask anyone with any information to please contact Police Scotland.
“I am also appealing directly to Mr Bust himself to get in touch with the police.”
If you can help, please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 2616 of Thursday, 13 March, 2025.
The city council’s Governance Team has announced that the date for the second call for nominations for community councils who received insufficient elected member nominations has been amended.
Nominations will now open on 27 March 2025 and will close at 4pm on 17 April 2025. This is to avoid the nomination period being open over 2 public holidays and to ensure officers are available to support candidates with any enquiries.
The formal notice will be published on the Council’s website in due course.
The 8 community councils who did not receive sufficient valid nominations to establish were:
• Craigmillar
• Davidson’s Mains and Silverknowes
• Firrhill
• Hutchison / Chesser
• Muirhouse/ Salvesen
• Old Town
• Portobello
• West Pilton/ West Granton.
The new dates have been updated on our CC webpages.
A lucky Scot could score a signed Messi bottle and be in with the chance of scoring the ultimate prize: a trip for two to Miami to watch Messi’s team, Inter Miami CF
Ten imited-edition bottles with hidden “golden caps” are scattered across ten SPAR stores in the UK from today
Más+ by Messi, the positive hydration drink created by the football legend, Messi, is now available throughout the UK
Leo Messi is set to land in Edinburgh after the city’s local SPAR was selected as one of only ten shops to receive a special drop of his everyday hydration drink Más+ by Messi.
Global football icon Leo Messi is challenging supporters to embark on a thrilling scavenger hunt to celebrate the arrival of the drink in the UK.
Messi has challenged his legions of supporters to find one of ten special bottles of his new drink, each holding the key to money-can’t-buy prizes.
Starting today Monday 17th March at 4pm in select UK Spar stores, lucky customers can find one of ten signed golden-capped editions in any of the flavours of Más+ by Messi. They come with an exclusive bundle of Mas+ By Messi merchandise as well as a year’s supply of Más+ by Messi.
Plus, one grand prize winner will experience the ultimate Messi fan dream: a trip for two to Miami, including flights, accommodation, and tickets to witness a home ground match with Messi’s team, Inter Miami CF*
Leo Messi, who surprised fans 10 years ago by helicoptering into Hackney Marshes, said: “Both in football and in any challenge, the motivation to achieve the goal is what drives everyone, so I hope the hunt brings excitement to those who are always striving for their own moments of success, now powered by Más+. Good luck to everyone searching, and I hope to see the winner in the stands in Miami soon.”
Ten SPAR stores across the UK will have 100 free bottles for shoppers on a first come first served basis. One out of those 100 will have a winning gold cap.
As the world’s most awarded football champion, Leo Messi uniquely understands how hydration helps us achieve our goals, and he was directly involved in introducing Más+.
He wanted a drink he could proudly share with his friends, family, and teammates on Inter Miami CF, because Leo believes everyone deserves to feel like a champion in every part of life.
Jeremy Kanter, Global Chief Marketing Officer for Más+ by Messi, shared: “We knew we had to launch Más+ by Messi in the UK with big energy. We wanted to bring people together through their shared love of the beautiful game and encourage positive hydration with Más+ by Messi.”
Más+ by Messi has an electrolyte complex, vitamins, minerals and comes in four amazing flavours, inspired by Leo’s own milestones:
Miami Punch is named for his home and club, Inter Miami FC.
Orange d’Or nods to his 8 Ballon D’Or wins.
Berry Copa Crush honours the numerous trophies he has lifted.
Limón Lime League celebrates his four Champions League titles.
Despite Más meaning ‘more’ in Spanish, Mas+ by Messi has less sugar, carbs, and calories than many sports drinks—1g of sugar and just 10 calories per 500ml bottle as well as no artificial colours or sweeteners, making it excellent for everyday performance whilst not compromising on taste.
In addition to SPAR, fans can buy Más+ by visitinghttps://uk.masbymessi.com/.
The beverage will continue to roll out to additional UK markets through 2025.
Almost one-third (31%) of employees dislike work team-building activities, according to a new survey by workplace expert Acas.
Acas asked employees which work-related social activities or engagements they favoured least. One fifth (20%) said they disliked after-hours drinks, with 19% disliking any social activity with colleagues.
Staff may have preferences for certain types of social engagements and may be uneasy about taking part in some others at work.
Some neurodiverse staff, such as people with Autism, could find some activities uncomfortable and may not enjoy certain social situations.
Acas is raising awareness of neurodiversity at work and recently published new advice to help employers create inclusive organisations.
Acas Interim Chief Executive Dan Ellis said: “Work social activities can be a great way for employers to improve their staff morale, wellbeing and rapport among colleagues. Our survey has found that over a quarter of employees like different types of social engagements at work.
“However, it is clear from our poll that certain activities are more popular than others and some employees dislike certain social situations with their workmates.
“The good boss will talk to their staff, find out what team-building and social activities will get everyone motivated and think about different activities that can appeal across the workforce. The secret is to ask, listen, respond and not just assume everyone will enjoy a specific activity, just because one person does.”
Employers could talk to their staff to create more engaging activities by asking what appeals to them most from a range of suitable options.
Some staff value their personal time as important in maintaining their mental wellbeing.
Ensuring that team building activities take place within normal hours will protect personal time and avoid excluding staff with parental and caring responsibilities.
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people’s brains behave and process information. As well as autism, other well-known types of neurodiversity include ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia.
Acas advice is that employers should make their organisation more inclusive, so that staff feel comfortable sharing and talking about neurodiversity.
Being inclusive can help:
improve staff wellbeing
reduce absence levels and employee turnover
attract employees with a wider range of skills and experience
reduce the risk of disputes and legal claims on discrimination
A new study led by researchers at National Museums Scotland describes the first comprehensive osteobiography of a zoo animal, a cutting-edge scientific method that involves the analysis of bones and tissue.
These techniques have been applied to reveal the in-depth story of the life of Choppers, star of the 1970s PG Tips advertising campaign, illustrating the changing role of zoos over the past 50 years.
This pioneering research is part of the Animal Feeding project funded by Wellcome.
The study was published in Scientific Reports last week (12 March). It comes as the National Museum of Scotland prepares to welcome the return of the biggest exhibition of primate biology ever staged, Monkeys: Our Primate Family, opening on 28 June.
Choppers, a Western Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) played Grandmother Ada Lott in the iconic British television ads when she was still a juvenile. She had been rescued from poachers in Sierra Leone at just six weeks old before being brought to the UK and going on to appear in the series of adverts. She was cared for at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire for over 40 years, until her death in 2016.
Osteobiographies are rarely performed on modern animal specimens and have never been applied so comprehensively to a zoo animal before now. The technique is more commonly used in archaeology to reconstruct the life stories of ancient human subjects, such as Richard III, identifying where and how they lived in remarkable detail.
As a celebrity, Choppers’ life has been extensively documented. This combination of archival material and osteobiographical analysis provides the most complete assessment of the life of an animal in zoo care, highlighting advances in zoological practices.
Dr David Cooper, Researcher at National Museums Scotland and lead author of the study, said: “Choppers was beloved by audiences across the UK for years.
“Now the innovative application of osteobiographical analysis has allowed us to tell her story like never before.
“Her life is a testament to the many thousands of chimpanzees that were taken from the wild and charts a crucial shift in the priorities of zoos away from entertainment and towards education, conservation, research and welfare.”
Choppers’ skeleton was donated to National Museums Scotland by Twycross Zoo, enriching Scotland’s internationally significant natural science collection which comprises more than 10 million specimens and is in constant use for study and research.
Dr Andrew Kitchener, Principal Curator of Vertebrate Biology at National Museums Scotland, said: ““Natural science collections are an invaluable resource in understanding the world in which we live, offering insight into some of the greatest challenges of our age, from biodiversity loss to the climate crisis.
“Our collections are increasingly reflecting the impacts of human activities both locally and globally, and hence are important for providing evidence of those impacts and how we can mitigate against them. We are grateful to zoos like Twycross for their support in developing Scotland’s National Collection, ensuring it remains at the forefront of international research efforts today and into the future.”
This osteobiography was created through the direct application of biogeochemical, pathological, and morphometric analytic techniques. The findings of this study paint a rich picture of Choppers’ key life events, including evidence of traumatic injuries sustained when she was poached from the wild in infancy. These would impact her throughout her life, impairing her movement and exacerbating degenerative issues associated with old age..
Isotopic analyses of Choppers’ tooth enamel indicate a distinct geographical and dietary shift between the ages of three and four, coinciding with her relocation to the UK. In the following three years she played the grandmother character in the PG Tips adverts, despite her youth
She was retired as she reached puberty at around six or seven. Strikingly, Choppers’ upper jaw was significantly elongated when compared with that of wild chimpanzees, reflecting an early diet of sugary soft fruit.
In recent years there has been a dramatic shift towards tougher, less sugary vegetables in the diets of zoo primates, which is leading to significant improvements in primate health and behaviour.
In addition to National Museums Scotland, the study also involved researchers from the University of Exeter, the University of Reading, Twycross Zoo and the University of Edinburgh.
Phillipa Dobbs, Veterinary Services Manager at Twycross Zoo said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this incredible work. At Twycross Zoo, our commitment to animal welfare extends beyond an individual’s lifetime, and studies like this allow us to ensure they contribute to scientific knowledge.
“Choppers was an important part of our history, and this pioneering research offers new insights into her life and the evolving role of modern zoos. By supporting studies like this, we can continue to learn from the past and drive progress in animal care, welfare, science and conservation. It’s an honour to be involved.”
POLICE have released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to as part of an ongoing investigation into a robbery at Telfer Subway, Edinburgh which occurred around 5.30pm on Friday, 14 February, 2025.
The man is white, aged between 18 and 26 years old, with a medium build and wearing a navy-blue tracksuit.
If anyone can identify the man then please do get in touch.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 2667 of 14 February. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.
Student cyclists in Edinburgh are calling for the creation of a publicly-owned bike hire scheme in the city and are developing a computer simulation to help design it.
Five students studying civil engineering at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh are behind the proposal and say their idea is inspired by successful publicly-owned bike hire schemes in cities including London, Glasgow, Brighton, Barcelona in Spain, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Paris in France.
The students are launching an online public petition to gauge support for their proposal, before presenting the details to City of Edinburgh Council.
Dominic Gurney, 22, one of the five students, said: “I’m from Barcelona and the bike hire scheme there is very successful and works perfectly. Lots of my friends use it. A lot of people use it to get to work. I use it myself practically every day and it covers almost all of Barcelona, so you can get from one point of the city to another across a wide radius.”
The students are developing a system to simulate real world bike traffic in Edinburgh, using a technology called agent-based modelling. This is a computer simulation technique that models how individual agents – people or things – interact with each other and their environment. The system the students are developing uses a traffic simulation application called Simulation of Urban Mobility to analyse data from stationary counter sensors around Edinburgh that measure traffic volumes, locations and speeds.
Jay Berry, 23, from Ipswich in Suffolk, is another of the student group. He explained: “Agent-based modelling is a relatively new technology and we believe that it’s going to really help increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of these bike hire schemes.
“For example, the location of bike docking stations is pretty important and we think agent-based models will help inform where these should be based to benefit the most people.”
Real time data from bikes fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation devices will be able to feed into the simulation the students create of the bike hire scheme in operation.
This then helps designers of the bike hire scheme understand the impact of changes they make, like moving the location of a docking station. The simulation in turn can send real time updates to users of the bike hire scheme, for example, about road closures or diversions.
Cyclists in Edinburgh can already hire bikes through a number of independent companies operating from a single outlet or across limited areas.
The scheme proposed by the Heriot-Watt students is a city-wide network covering a broad geographic area with multiple, strategically-placed docking stations across Edinburgh for cyclists to collect and drop off bikes.
The students say their proposed bike hire scheme aims to be more affordable and accessible for cyclists than networks run by private operators.
“Privately-owned bike hire schemes tend to be driven by the bottom line, with price per minute charges that can cost you more than the bus for a five-minute journey,” said Jay.
“This doesn’t seem very inclusive to us. So one of our key requirements is that the bike hire scheme is publicly-owned. This means it would be available to everybody in the city, and would be funded partly by the local authority, partly by sponsorships and partly revenues from cyclists hiring the bikes.”
Dominic added: “Push bikes and other active travel choices are healthier. We also think our scheme could boost Edinburgh’s offer to tourists and help Edinburgh City Council achieve its goal of reducing car kilometres by 30% by 2030, as a part of the Edinburgh City Mobility Plan.”
City of Edinburgh Council is currently planning to launch a two-year pilot of an all-electric bike hire scheme, run by a private operator.
Robert Armstrong, Deputy Senior Responsible Officer at City of Edinburgh Council’s Transport and Environment Committee, explained: “This pilot will help inform the Council on how to effectively expand the cycle hire scheme in the future.
“We are exploring various options to support and encourage use throughout the city once the pilot phase is complete.”
Mr Armstrong described the students’ proposal as a “fantastic idea that could significantly benefit the community.”
He added: “Encouraging sustainable transport options like bike hire aligns well with our current efforts in Edinburgh to enhance urban mobility and reduce environmental impact. I am excited to see how this project develops.”
The other students involved in the project are Oli Munn, 24, from the Peak District in Derbyshire and Malaysian students Kah Rick Fong, 23, and King Jun Siew 23.
The five students all met during a study year at Heriot-Watt’s Malaysia campus in Putrajaya, Malaysia, about 16 miles south of Kuala Lumpur. They are all studying the University’s Master of Engineering (MEng) degree in Civil Engineering.
Sustrans, a UK charity that promotes walking, cycling, and wheeling, is helping the students raise awareness of their public petition.
Edinburgh International Festival’s 2025 programme offers opportunities to experience world-class artists in thought-provoking and unconventional ways – including an eight-hour choral extravaganza, a distinctive outdoor promedande dance piece and a circus infused opera. Audiences can also get involved in many Festival performances, from an outdoor mass-singlaong to interactive concerts where the audience chooses the repertoire.
The Truth We Seek is the timely theme underpinning the 2025 International Festival, as contemporary reflections on the world are presented alongside time-honoured tales, a place where fact meets faith and fiction.
The International Festival is the ultimate destination to experience world-class performances, with an exciting lineup of 133 performances, bringing 7 world premieres, 8 UK and Scottish premieres and 2 European premieres to Edinburgh this year. Programme highlights include the world premiere of a gripping new play by James Graham starring Brian Cox, a new narrative ballet from Scottish Ballet, and Festival debuts from rising classical stars – violinist Maria Dueñas, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, and 2024 BBC Young Musician of the Year Ryan Wang.
From 1-24 August 2025, Edinburgh International Festival presents a hand-picked selection of leading international and local artists in the world’s Festival City, with 24 days of world-class opera, dance, music and theatre.
The 2025 programme is defined by world-class artists bringing audiences and artists closer together in creative and unexpected ways. Audiences can experience an opera incorporating circus performers for a breathtaking fusion of music and acrobatics inOrpheus and Eurydice, a site-specific promenade dance work that transforms Edinburgh’s Old College Quad into a stage for Dance People, and enjoy Bach through a new lens in Breaking Bach, where hip-hop meets 18th-century period instruments.
Audiences can also actively participate in performances—whether by shaping the repertoire in a real-time Classical Jam or sharing their dreams to inspire Hanni Liang’s piano recital, Dreams. For those seeking deep immersion, eight-hour choral epic The Veil of the Templeinvites audiences to sit on beanbags and lose themselves in waves of harmonies, and a choral workshop welcomes amateur singers that will preview a powerful performance at the Festival’s Closing Concert, Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Now in its third year under Festival Director and celebrated Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti, the 2025 programme welcomes over 1,700 artists from 42 nations to Edinburgh —including 600 from Scotland—across 133 performances. The Truth We Seek is the theme underpinning the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival, inviting audiences to explore their relationship with truth – within themselves, between one another and in understanding our place in the world.
Ensuring that cost is not a barrier to live performance, over 50,000 tickets (more than half of all tickets available for the 2025 International Festival) are priced at £30 or under. Thousands of free tickets are available for young musicians, NHS staff and community groups, and £10 Affordable Tickets are available for all performances for anyone who needs them.
Programme highlights include:
Two major world premiere productions in UK theatre and dance: Make It Happen, an eye-opening take on the 2008 financial crisis set in Edinburgh, starring Brian Cox (Adam Smith) and Sandy Grierson (Fred Goodwin), written by one of Britain’s most in-demand playwrights, James Graham;and Mary, Queen of Scots, an iconic story of one of Scotland’s most famous women, unconventionally told with choreography by Sophie Laplane that blends classicism with modernity, and costuming that nods to haute couture and punk.
In a landmark year for choral music, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus, this renowned chorus of singers from around Scotland performs at the monumental Opening Concert, as well as Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah (this year’s grand Closing Concert). The programme also includes the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists performing works by Handel and Bach.
This year’s Opening Concert features the aforementioned Edinburgh Festival Chorus, Monteverdi Choir and the National Youth Choir of Scotland, offering a rare chance to hear John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple in all its eight-hour glory, a colossal universal prayer performed in full for the second time ever in the UK.
The International Festival’s opening weekend welcomes all to Princes Street Gardens’ Ross Bandstand for The Big Singalong, a free event led by Stephen Deazley, artistic director of Edinburgh’s Love Music Community Choir. The following day, Norwegian folk ensemble Barokksolistene returns to lead The Ceilidh Sessions, an afternoon of music and storytelling inspired by the Gaelic ceilidh tradition.
The most substantial programme of Polish artists in the International Festival’s 78-year history is featured in celebration of the UK/Poland season 2025. Performances include two concerts from one of the Festival’s resident orchestras in 2025, NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra, and a showcase of Polish artists and repertoire from the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble, VOŁOSI, Piotr Anderszewski, Bomsori Kim to 2024’s BBC Young Musician of the Year, Ryan Wang.
Operatic works include a fully staged Australian reimagining of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice featuring acrobatics; the UK premiere of Book of Mountains and Seas from Chinese composer Huang Ruo, puppeteer Basil Twist and Ars Nova Copenhagen, and two operas in concert: Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus and Puccini’s Suor Angelica with theLondon Symphony Orchestra, with a line-up of international soloists.
Residencies bringing leading orchestras to the International Festival for an extended, more sustainable stay that features multiple performances and community engagement. This year, three outstanding orchestras provide distinctive insights into their collective sound and ambitions: Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra 2, Poland’s NFM Leopoldinum, and the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of new Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano.
Intimate morning recitals at The Queen’s Hall featureInternational Festival debuts from on-the-rise young virtuoso María Dueñas andCanadian mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, as well as a cohort of exceptional Scottish artists including the Dunedin Consort with John Butt and Scottish percussionist Colin Currie with peerless vocal group The King’s Singers.
A wider orchestral programme that stretches the globe to welcome the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the NCPAOrchestra from Beijing, with conductor Myung Whun Chung and Bruce Liu as piano soloist. The London Philharmonic Orchestra returns to the International Festival for the first time in a decade under the baton of Edward Gardner with a stunning programme that features pianist Beatrice Rana performing Rachmaninoff’s inspired Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,and Holst’s The Planets, a seven-movement orchestral suite journeying through the cosmos to explore our true place in the universe.
Aurora Orchestra makes its International Festival debut with Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony, in the 50th anniversary of the composer’s death. A work that grapples with the pursuit of truth under oppression, audiences are seated on beanbags as Aurora delve into the symphony from the inside out with a conversational presentation in the round, and then in full later that evening, performed entirely from memory.
The Scottish premiere of Figures in Extinction from the internationally acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater,visionary choreographer Crystal Pite and ground-breaking theatre-maker Simon McBurney (Complicité), whichconfronts powerful truths about humanity’s impact on the world and art’s meaning in the face of mass destruction.
A stellar dance offering continues with works that expand the experience for audiences: Maqamat and Omar Rajeh take performance outdoors to Edinburgh University’s College Quad in promenade with Dance People; the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment combine hip hop with Bach in Breaking Bach with choreographer Kim Brandstrup, and an International Festival debut from Australian disabled dancer Dan Daw about identity and kink.
Leading theatre-makers exploring truth via the climate emergency, colonialism and politics, with Cliff Cardinal’s take on Shakespeare in As You Like It A Radical Retelling, a spectacular nonverbal work from Belgian theatre collective FC Bergman in Works and Days and a remount of acclaimed play Faustus in Africa!, 30 years after its original premiere, from Handspring Puppet Company and William Kentridge.
The Hub, the International Festival’s headquarters on the Royal Mile, brings together a hand-picked variety of global musical styles and traditions, experienced up close in an intimate performance space, including Up Late gigs from artists such as Kathryn Joseph and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. In a truly international programme, musicians from 16 countries including Australia, China, Poland, Norway and across East to West Africa come to the home of the Festival.
The Scottish Government will host a major investment event in Edinburgh tomorrow (Monday 17th March) aimed at unlocking new private investment in the country’s rapidly growing offshore wind industry.
More than 100 stakeholders, including investors and developers, will attend the Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum, to be hosted by First Minister John Swinney.
The Forum is taking part following a Green Industrial Strategy commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a destination for capital investment. The Strategy identified offshore wind as one of five priority areas for Scottish Government resources and investment.
The Scottish Government is investing up to £500 million over five years in the Scottish offshore wind supply chain to leverage an expected £1.5 billion of private investment.
Speaking ahead of the Forum, the First Minister said: “The growth and success of Scotland’s offshore wind industry is not only an ambition of my Government, it is a priority for me personally. Delivering on its promise will not only deliver our global climate obligations, but create significant new jobs and economic opportunities.
“History has shown that success stems from choosing the right time and place to capitalise on the next innovation of the era. We have already gained a significant first-mover advantage and laid the groundwork for success.
“Now we are poised to move to the next stage of development and growth and reap the rewards of what we estimate could be a £100 billion market.
“The Global Offshore Wind investment Forum is about “Team Scotland” showcasing the offer that Scotland’s offshore wind sector offers to global investors. We have a compelling story and a clear message that Scotland is open for business.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin and Employment and Investment Minister Tom Arthur will also take part in the Forum, which has been delivered by Scottish Enterprise.
The UK Government will be represented and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise and Scottish National Investment Bank will also take part in the event.
In today’s fast-paced, productivity-focused culture, it can be difficult to prioritise sleep, but what if sleep is the key to helping your overall health? Health and Wellbeing expert Amie Leckie shares how vital sleep is for your heart health.
Sleep is the foundation that underpins our health; if we aren’t well-rested, it is harder to make wise food choices or muster up the energy to exercise. The NHS recommends most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per day. In the UK, over 37 million or 71% of people do not get this amount of sleep, with the average adult getting six hours and 24 minutes of sleep.
Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, says: “While we sleep soundly, our brains and bodies remain active, at one point in the sleep cycle our brain fires more rapidly than when we are awake.
“Sleep allows our bodies to repair cells and clean out toxins that may have accumulated in the brain. During sleep, we consolidate memories by processing and storing information we gather during our wakeful time. Sleep also impacts our metabolism, mood, hormone balance, immune function and disease resistance.”
How does sleep impact overall health?
Research has shown that sleeping less than seven hours a night is associated with various adverse health outcomes.
Increases our risk of obesity
Studies have found that individuals who regularly sleep less than seven hours a night are more likely to have a higher BMI (body mass index) and develop obesity than those who sleep more.
“Sleep plays a role in body weight regulation due to its effect on our hunger hormones,” says Amie. “Sleep deprivation disrupts the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which work together to regulate hunger and satiety. Generally, if you have under-slept you will crave high-calorie and energy-dense foods, usually cakes, biscuits, crisps, pastries, burgers, pizza and chips, which contribute to weight gain.”
Raises the risk of diabetes
Insufficient sleep has been linked to insulin resistance, which is a sign of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance occurs when cells do not respond effectively to insulin, leading to elevated blood glucose levels. Overtime, this can develop into diabetes. Studies have shown that even short-term sleep deprivation can impair glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Sleep impacts our mental health
Sleep is closely linked to mental health, with sleep disturbances being both a symptom and a cause of mental health disorders.
“Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Conversely, these conditions can further exacerbate sleep problems, creating a challenging cycle for affected individuals. Prioritising sleep can improve mood, cognitive function, and overall mental health,” Amie says.
How does sleep affect your heart?
The above health concerns are all risk factors for heart disease, meaning if you experience one or more of the above, you are more likely to develop coronary heart disease.
Lack of sleep can also directly impact the cardiovascular system. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Cardiology in 2023 found that less than five hours of sleep a night is highly associated with an increased risk of a heart attack.
Blood pressure
Sleep is essential for regulating blood pressure, impacting our hormones. During restful sleep, our blood pressure naturally lowers, giving the cardiovascular system a much-needed break. Studies have shown that people who sleep for less than six hours a night can have steeper increases in blood pressure, and if you already have high blood pressure, poor sleep can make your blood pressure worse.
Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a key player in the development of heart diseases and poor sleep has been shown to increase inflammatory markers in the body.
Amie explains: “Inflammation damages blood vessels, promotes plaque buildup, and contributes to atherosclerosis, a condition where the arteries become narrowed and hardened. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
Heart Rate Variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat. A higher HRV indicates a healthy, responsive cardiovascular system, while a lower HRV is associated with stress and poor cardiovascular health. Sleep quality directly influences HRV, with poor sleep leading to decreased HRV and increased cardiovascular risk.
How do you get better sleep?
Understanding the impact poor sleep has on your health means it’s easier to make lifestyle changes to help ensure you have a good night’s sleep. Here are some easy tips that can change your quality of sleep.
Improving your sleep environment
We sleep better in a cool room, the ideal temperature is around 18 degrees Celsius and having a thermometer in your room can help you measure it. Our bedding also impacts how we sleep, by having bedding made from natural fibres, such as wool or cotton, can help regulate our body temperature to stay cool.
Having a dark room is also essential, you can invest in blackout blinds and remove standby lights that do not give out red light, as red light does not disrupt our sleep.
Limit your time spent on screens
The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, computers and televisions can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Limiting screen time before bed can improve sleep onset and quality, try reading a book instead.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking
Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can disrupt sleep. Avoiding these substances, especially in the afternoon and evening, can help promote better sleep. Caffeine stays in the body long after it has been consumed and can disrupt sleep, even after six hours after drinking a caffeinated beverage, half of the caffeine is still present in your body. Alcohol, while not a stimulant, also negatively impacts our sleep, lowers our HRV and decreases the amount of deep sleep we get.
Avoid eating before bed
Eating a large meal close to bedtime can delay the onset of melatonin release, meaning we don’t feel as sleepy before bed. Eating or snacking in the hours before bed can lead to poor-quality sleep. Try to avoid eating for at least two hours before bed, if you need a bedtime snack, opt for something light that will hopefully have minimal impact on your sleep such as a banana and some yoghurt.
Increase your physical activity
Regular physical activity has been shown to improve sleep quality. However, try to avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime, as it can be stimulating.
Getting morning light and outdoor time
If you struggle to fall asleep, getting outside as soon as possible after you wake up may help. Getting natural daylight into our eyes can help to set our circadian rhythm by letting our bodies know it is time to wake up. Also, spending more time outdoors during the day positively affects our sleep that night.
Reducing stress and anxiety
Chronic stress and anxiety can significantly impact sleep quality and our ability to fall asleep. Incorporating stress management techniques, such as mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, and even journaling before bedtime can improve sleep.
Keep a diary
If you are someone who struggles with sleep, download our Food & Movement Journal, where you can keep track of meals and physical activity. Here you can log your quality of sleep, and it can be useful to identify patterns affecting your sleep.
Sleep is a critical component of health and well-being, influencing body weight, chronic disease risk and cardiovascular health.
Download our Sleep Hygiene Checklist to help you get started on creating a perfect bedtime routine, you can stick it to your bedroom wall or bathroom mirror, somewhere you will see it regularly to remind you.
In a world that often values productivity over rest, it is crucial to recognise that good sleep is not a luxury – it is a necessity.
