Getting a good night’s sleep has many benefits for your health and wellbeing – it helps to lower stress, improve concentration and reduce the risk of many medical conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
Whether you can’t get to sleep, wake up in the early hours or have bad dreams, there are lots of things you can do to improve your sleep.
Take the sleep quiz to get recommendations for NHS-approved apps. You can also use our free clinically-validated self-assessment tool to assess your sleep anonymously – it only takes 20 minutes to complete and will provide you with a guiding diagnosis, helpful resources and, if necessary, relevant treatment options.
- Good Thinking sleep quiz
- Good Thinking sleep self-assessment
Here are a selection of apps to improve your sleep:
- Be Mindful (free)
A clinically proven online mindfulness course approved by the NHS, Be Mindful helps you to get better sleep through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). - Meditainment
Meditainment uses established guided meditation and visualisation techniques, leading you on imaginative journeys to dreamlike destinations to explore and reflect on a range of wellbeing topics. - tomo (free)
tomo is expertly designed to support you with many of life's obstacles, including poor sleep. The app combines digital peer support with the best of social media and proven therapeutic techniques. - Twilight (free)
An app that filters out your phone's harsh blue light to reduce eye strain and help you sleep better. - Headspace
Listen to “Rainyday Antiques” sleepcast for a short wind down and transport yourself to an antiques shop on a rainy night. - Downdog
Help yourself unwind with a quick yoga practice. The Downdog basic plan is free for all to use.
Dr Julie Smith shares fun Tik Tok Videos around mental health and keeping well.
Follow her on Instagram @drjuliesmith.
She also hosts a podcast about sleep called The Sleep Lab.
If coronavirus is affecting your sleep, we recommend the following articles and podcast. You can find lots more information in our COVID-19 advice hub.
- An NHS self help guide to sleep problems.
- The Centre for Clinical Interventions has information sheets for things such as insomnia, sleep hygiene and nightmares, as well as a sleep diary worksheet.
- Sleepstation: How to get good sleep, even if you’re a shift worker
- Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams book by Matthew Walker
- Better Sleep Darebee Yoga Workout
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Sleep Charity Sleep Hub provide advice and support to empower the nation to sleep better. Advice is also available on how to improve sleep as a shift worker.
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Mental wellbeing audio guide on sleep problems and what you can do to give yourself the best chance of a good night's sleep
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Watch this webinar about sleep, sleeping difficulties and ways to overcome these from ThriveLDN.
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The Good Night Guide for 7 practical steps you can take for a better night's sleep.
Overcoming has a self-help book about Overcoming Insomnia. The books within the Overcoming series use methods based on clinical practice and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Overcoming also has an article about beating sleeping problems with good sleep hygiene.