5 Practical ways to get more sleep
- Alice Monk
- Mar 7, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 21
Most adults need 7 - 9 hours good quality sleep each night, but that's often easier said than done. We've put together a list of practical ways to help you get enough zzzzs.
Figure out how much sleep you need
Even if you're getting the recommended amount of sleep, you might still feel tired. Be honest with yourself - if seven hours isn’t enough, try going to bed a little earlier and see how you feel.
Plan your bedtime
You know what time you need to wake up — now work backwards and plan your bedtime accordingly. Why not set an alarm to remind you to go to bed too if you find yourself staying up too late?
Plan your evening
Before bedtime even arrives, your evening is probably full - dinner, chores, gym, catching up with friends or a favourite show. Be realistic about how much you can fit in before bedtime.
If it’s a squeeze, consider shifting non-essentials to another day, asking for help, or safely multitasking: Could your partner prep lunches while you hit the gym? Could you call a friend on speakerphone while making dinner? Could you listen to an audiobook while folding laundry?
Too much multi-tasking can be stressful, but a little could help you be more efficient and get to bed on time.
Avoid binge watching past your bedtime
It’s easy to fall into the "just one more episode" trap — especially with autoplay settings pulling you in.
Turn off Netflix’s autoplay to avoid the next episode starting automatically.
Set a sleep timer on your TV.
Put the remote away when you're done for the night.
Make a cup of decaf or herbal tea between episodes to help you unwind.
If you're watching with someone, agree in advance how many episodes you'll watch.
Remind yourself: waiting until tomorrow for the next episode won’t hurt — but being exhausted might.
Change your perspective
What do you think about sleep? Is it a hindrance? An annoying necessity? What if you saw sleep as a pleasure and looked forward to feeling refreshed and awake the next day?
Think of all the things you enjoy about sleeping - write them down so they sink in. Imagine feeling refreshed and full of energy, and waking up feeling good, not groggy.
If you struggle to fall asleep, actively research ways to help you sleep and put them into practice. Try some bedtime mindfulness meditation to calm any anxiety about getting to sleep, or make an appointment with your GP if you can't find anything that works.
Optimise your sleep environment
Good sleep isn’t just about quantity — it’s also about quality. If your environment is working against you, even 8 hours might not be enough.
Consider:
A more supportive mattress or pillow
Blackout curtains or an eye mask
Earplugs or white noise
A vibrating alarm clock if your partner’s wake-up time disturbs you
Identify your barriers and invest in solutions where you can.
These are just a few ideas to help you get the sleep you need. If you're regularly tired during the day, you probably need to catch some more zzz's - The Sleep Charity has a wealth of sleep advice to help you reach the land of nod.
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