6 steps to help you sleep better | A Doctors guide

In this video I'm going to share with you six proven sleep tips from a UK doctor – that’s me! – to help you sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed. If you're struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up feeling groggy, then you're definitely not alone. Sleep problems affect millions of people and can take a real toll on both your physical and mental health. But here's the good news: there are simple, evidence-based steps that you can take to fall asleep faster and better.

We're going to walk through six practical strategies to improve your sleep. These are going to include building a good sleep routine, learning how to relax and unwind (which is really important), using mindfulness to manage worries, creating the right sleep environment, knowing what to do if you can't sleep, and finally, improving your sleep through diet and exercise. So, let's get started on these essential sleep tips.

**Step One: Build a Good Sleep Routine (Sleep Hygiene)**

Good sleep starts with a good routine. This is something called sleep hygiene, and it's all about creating consistency. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps to regulate your internal body clock, also known as your circadian rhythm. That consistency makes it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally over time. Think of it like training your body to expect sleep at a certain hour. This regular sleep schedule is a cornerstone of healthy sleep habits.

Part of this routine should include a set time to start winding down in the evening. You should think of this as your signal to the body and the brain that sleep is coming. This doesn't mean jumping into bed straight after finishing work or dinner. Give yourself 30 to 60 minutes to transition, which brings us to the next step. This dedicated wind-down period is crucial for preparing your mind and body for rest.

**Step Two: Relax and Unwind Before Bed**

Your wind-down routine is just as important as your sleep schedule. This means trying to avoid screens like phones, tablets, and computers at least an hour before bed. Why? Because the blue light emitted from these screens can disrupt melatonin production, which is the hormone that helps you to sleep. It tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime, making it harder to initiate sleep.

Instead, it's important to do something genuinely relaxing. This might mean listening to calming music or a gentle podcast, reading a physical book (not on a backlit device!), or trying a guided sleep meditation. You might want to try out something like Headspace or Calm to help you do this – they offer fantastic resources for relaxation and mindfulness. Techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense and then relax different muscle groups, or a warm bath can also help to ease the body into rest mode. By relaxing your mind and body, you're creating the ideal conditions for sleep. This pre-sleep relaxation is a powerful tool for combating insomnia and promoting restful sleep.

**Step Three: Using Mindfulness to Manage Worries**

Sometimes, even when we're trying to relax, worries and overthinking can creep in, and that is where the next step – mindfulness – comes in. Anxiety, stress, and racing thoughts are common barriers to sleep. Mindfulness can help with this. Mindfulness encourages you to stay present, notice your thoughts without judgment, and gently return your focus to the breath or body. It's about observing your thoughts rather than getting caught up in them.

Simple practices like journaling before bed, setting aside time to make a to-do list, or writing down what is on your mind can stop these thoughts from replaying once you're in bed. Getting those worries out of your head and onto paper can be incredibly liberating. You can also try self-help CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) techniques, like reframing unhelpful thoughts. For example, instead of thinking "I'll never sleep," try "I'm feeling restless right now, and that's okay." These techniques can help reduce nighttime worry and break the cycle of sleeplessness, leading to better sleep quality.

If you've made it to this point in the video, I'd love to hear from you. What in particular is making it hard for you to sleep? Is it racing thoughts, difficulty falling asleep, waking up too early, or something else? Please do share your experience in the comment section below and let's see if we can build a supportive community here where we can share tips and encouragement to help each other get better rest. Your insights are valuable for everyone seeking better sleep solutions.

**Step Four: Creating the Right Sleep Environment**

Now that your mind is hopefully more relaxed, let's talk about your sleep space. Your bedroom should support good sleep, and that means it should be quiet, dark, and a cool temperature. Although this can vary depending on your own personal preference, generally a cooler room is better for sleep.

Some tips here are trying to use blackout curtains or an eye mask to keep the room dark, as well as removing any sources of artificial light like glowing clocks or phone screens. Even small amounts of light can disrupt your sleep cycle. If noise is an issue, you could consider earplugs, white noise machines, or calming soundscapes like rainfall or ocean waves. These can mask disruptive noises and create a more peaceful atmosphere. It's also important to make sure that the room is well ventilated and cool, not too hot or stuffy. This can make it much easier to drift off and stay asleep. A clean, comfortable bed and minimal clutter can also help to create a calming atmosphere, reducing visual distractions and promoting relaxation. Optimizing your sleep environment is a key component of effective sleep management.

**Step Five: Don't Try to Force Sleep**

Even with the perfect environment, there will be nights when sleep just doesn't come easily. So, what should you do then? Well, this leads us on to step five: don't try and force sleep. Lying in bed wide awake can be incredibly frustrating, and it happens to all of us, but trying to force sleep usually makes it worse. The pressure to sleep can create anxiety, which is counterproductive.

If you're not asleep after about 20 minutes, don't just lie there worrying. Instead, get up, go to another quiet space, and do something calming, like reading (again, a physical book!), listening to soft music, or a gentle podcast until you feel sleepy. The key is to avoid anything stimulating. And remember, resting quietly in bed still gives your body a chance to recover, even if you're not fully asleep. Sometimes just letting go of the pressure to sleep can help for it to come more naturally. This strategy is a core principle of CBT for insomnia (CBT-I), a highly effective treatment for chronic sleep problems.

**Step Six: Improve Sleep Through Diet and Exercise**

Finally, let's take a look at the foundation of everything: what you eat and how you move. Your lifestyle obviously has a huge impact on sleep. It's important to start by looking at your diet. Try to avoid heavy meals close to bedtime and cut down on caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, especially in the evenings. Personally, I would recommend that you don't eat in the two-hour window before going to bed. Digestion can interfere with your body's ability to relax and prepare for sleep.

Things like nicotine and caffeine are stimulants that can keep your brain more alert, even if you feel sleepy. The general advice is to avoid these one to two hours before bed, but for some people, even earlier might be better. It's worth experimenting to see what works best for you. You could do this by journaling and keeping a record of the nights you've slept better and the nights you slept worse, and seeing if there's any correlation there. Alcohol, while it might initially make you feel drowsy, actually disrupts sleep later in the night, leading to fragmented and less restorative sleep.

The other important thing is exercise, but avoid intense workouts late in the evening as they might leave you too energized to sleep. Instead, you could take a gentle walk a couple of hours before bed to try and unwind. Regular physical activity during the day, however, is fantastic for promoting deeper, more restful sleep at night. Just make sure to time it right.

**Recap and Next Steps**

So, to recap, the six steps to better sleep are:

1.  **Build a regular sleep routine** (sleep hygiene, consistent bedtime and wake-up time).

2.  **Wind down and relax before bed** (avoid screens, engage in calming activities).

3.  **Use mindfulness to manage worries** (journaling, CBT techniques, present moment awareness).

4.  **Create a calm, cool space and environment to sleep in** (dark, quiet, cool bedroom).

5.  **Don't try to force sleep** (get up if you can't sleep after 20 minutes, do something relaxing).

6.  **Support your sleep with a healthy diet and exercise** (avoid late meals,