Use this guide if you often feel tired, struggle to fall asleep or your bedtimes vary a lot. It is general guidance only; if you have ongoing sleep problems, loud snoring with pauses in breathing or feel dangerously sleepy during the day, speak to your GP.
Step by step
Pick a fixed wake time
Choose a wake-up time you can keep every day, including weekends, as this anchors your body clock. Work back to a bedtime that allows enough sleep for you. Set an alarm for both waking and starting to wind down.
Create a wind-down hour
In the hour before bed, do calm activities such as reading, a warm shower or gentle stretching. Dim the lights and put phones and laptops away or on night mode. Keep the routine similar each night so it becomes a signal to sleep.
Make the bedroom sleep-friendly
Aim for a room that is dark, quiet and cool, using blackout curtains, an eye mask or earplugs if needed. Keep work and screens out of the bedroom where possible. Check your mattress and pillows are comfortable.
Watch daytime habits
Get daylight in the morning and be active during the day, but avoid hard exercise close to bedtime. Cut down on caffeine from the afternoon and avoid large meals and alcohol late in the evening. Keep daytime naps short and early, if you nap at all.
Deal with a busy mind
If worries keep you awake, write them down with a next step before bed so they feel parked. If you cannot sleep after what feels like a while, get up, do something calm in dim light and return when sleepy. Avoid clock-watching.
Review after two weeks
Keep a simple sleep diary noting bedtime, wake time and how rested you feel. After two to four weeks, look for patterns and adjust. If sleep is still poor, talk to a pharmacist or GP, and do not start sleep medicines without advice.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Fixed wake time chosen
- Bedtime set to allow enough sleep
- Wind-down alarm set
- Screens away before bed
- Bedroom dark, quiet and cool
- Caffeine limited from the afternoon
- Sleep diary started
- Review date in two to four weeks
Practical tips
- Keep your wake time even after a bad night, as sleeping in can make the next night harder.
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom and use a basic alarm clock instead.
- The NHS offers free self-help advice on sleep, which is a good starting point before trying paid apps or products.
Common problems
I fall asleep fine but wake at 4am and cannot get back to sleep.
Keep the room dark and avoid checking your phone, and try a calm activity in dim light if you are awake for a while. Look at evening alcohol, caffeine and stress, which can all cause early waking. If it continues for several weeks or you feel low, speak to your GP.
Shift work makes a regular routine impossible.
Keep the same wind-down routine before each sleep, whatever the time, and use blackout curtains and earplugs for daytime sleep. Try to keep sleep times consistent within each block of shifts. Tell your GP or occupational health if tiredness affects your safety at work or while driving.
My partner says I snore loudly and stop breathing at night.
This can be a sign of a condition that needs checking, so make an appointment with your GP. Do not drive if you feel very sleepy. Mention any daytime sleepiness, morning headaches or high blood pressure.