Sleep is the foundation that makes everything else easier: your work, your training, your mood, your patience, your health… your life. So, if nothhing else, World Sleep Day is a reminder that sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s essential.
6 Practical Ways to Sleep Better
1. Consistent Wake-up Times
Try to wake up at roughly the same time every day (including weekends). Your body clock loves consistency, and it’s often the fastest way to stabilise sleep. If you want to shift your schedule dramatically but struggle to wake up early, move your wake-up time by 15-30 minutes every few days rather than making a sudden jump.
2. Natural Light in the Morning
Natural light in the morning helps set your body's natural rhythm. Even 10-20 minutes outside (or by a bright window) can help your body recognise that it's daytime.
3. Comfortable Bedding
Your sleep environment matters. Ensure you get the right bedding for you, whether you’re a cold or hot sleeper. It touches your skin for hours and will impact how well you sleep. If your bed sheets are scratchy, your duvet is too hot, or your pillow collapses halfway through the night, you’re fighting your setup.
4. Make Your Bedroom the Place for Sleep
If your bed is where you work, scroll, snack, and stress… it can confuse your brain. Try to minimise your space to become a relaxing haven.
- Cooler temperature bedroom with cosy bedding.
- Darkness (avoid harsh screen lights).
- Quiet (or consistent white noise).
- Minimal distractions so you can relax.
Invest in your environment if you can. Better curtains, a more supportive pillow, or bedding that feels comfortable against your skin.
5. If You Can’t Sleep, Don’t Wrestle the Pillow
If you’ve been awake for a while, get up and do something calming in low light (read, breathe, listen to something soothing). Then return to bed when you feel sleepy. This helps prevent your bed from becoming a place where you try to sleep (and fail).
6. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bed
Caffeine after lunchtime may make your sleep more fragmented, so it’s best to avoid caffeine in the afternoon if you find yourself struggling to fall asleep.
Alcohol can also make you drowsy at first, but it often leads to lighter sleep later in the night.
But How Much Sleep Do We Actually Need?
Most healthy adults do best with around 7-9 hours of sleep every night. So, if your aim is to wake up at 6 am every morning, try not to go to bed after 11 pm.
When to Get Extra Support
If sleep problems persist or you experience symptoms such as loud snoring, gasps, significant daytime sleepiness, or anxiety around sleep, it may be worth speaking with a healthcare professional.
Try This 7-day World Sleep Day Challenge
We urge you to try out this 7-day challenge. Do each of these every day, and see if your sleep improves.
- Wake up at the same time every morning.
- Get outside for some daylight within 1 hour of waking.
- Pick a caffeine cut-off time.
- Do a 20-minute wind-down (we love to get in a sound bath class whenever we can).
- Make your room darker, cooler and quieter.
We hope you have a good night’s sleep tonight!
