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Resources for Better Sleep

1 min read

There are lots of things you can do to improve your sleep. Try these helpful habits:

  1. Minimise caffeine & alcohol
  2. No exercise 4-6 hours before bed
  3. Keep to a bed-time routine
  4. Have a bed-time snack
  5. Move out the things you do during the day (TV, phone, email, radio)
  6. Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool
  7. Set a wake-up time. At weekends, have no longer than one hour extra
  8. Don’t go to bed if you’re not sleepy
  9. 15-minute rule (If you’ve been lying awake for more than 15 minutes, get up and go and do something calming, such as listening to soothing music. Then go back to bed.)

The following self-help resources have more useful tips and advice:

 

Apps

Sleepio

 

Websites

sleepfoundation.org

 

Podcasts and Blogs

The Sleep Council blog

 

Self-help Guides

CBT For Insomnia – talkplus.org.uk

Insomnia – Wellbeing Glasgow

Sleep Problems and Insomnia Self Help Guide – NHS Inform

 

Worksheets

https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/Sleep.pdf

https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/sleep-hygiene-handout.pdf

Sleep Diary – getselfhelp.co.uk

Mindful Breathing – getselfhelp.co.uk

Facts about Sleep – Centre for Clinical Interventions

What is Insomnia – Centre for Clinical Interventions

Insomnia and Your Thinking – Centre for Clinical Interventions

Nightmares Explained – Centre for Clinical Interventions

 

Books

Overcoming insomnia and sleep problems: a guide to using cognitive-behavioural techniques by Colin A. Epsie

Why we sleep by Matthew Walker

The sleep revolution: transforming your life one night at a time by Arianna Huffington

 

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