Better Sleep Awareness Month: Your Guide to Restful Sleep
May is Better Sleep Awareness Month, a perfect time to reflect on your sleep habits and make positive changes. Quality sleep is vital for our health and wellbeing – adults generally need around 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, yet nearly 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep - mentalhealth-uk.org.
If you’re tired of feeling tired, don’t worry. In this post, we’ll cover practical strategies to help you achieve more restful sleep. From keeping a consistent sleep schedule and optimising your sleep environment, to choosing the right mattress and bed frame (yes, even considering options like an hard mattress, strong beds, or adult bunk beds), and adopting healthy lifestyle habits, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into these sleep-improvement tips and get you on track for better zzz’s!
Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule
One of the most effective changes you can make is sticking to a regular sleep schedule. Our bodies run on an internal clock (circadian rhythm) that likes consistency. Going to bed and waking up at the same times every day – weekends included – helps stabilise that internal clock for better sleep quality. In fact, NHS experts note that having fixed bedtimes and wake times is a key good sleep habit, ideally the same every day.
When you keep regular hours, your body starts to feel sleepy and alert at the right times on its own, making it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning. Consistency can be challenging (we all love a weekend lie-in), but try not to deviate by more than an hour if you can. If you normally need to get up at 7 a.m. on weekdays, sleeping until 11 a.m. on Sunday will throw your body clock off. Think of it like inducing a mini jet lag – come Sunday night, you might struggle to doze off.
By maintaining a more consistent pattern, you’ll avoid that groggy Monday morning feeling. Tip: Get some natural light in the morning to reinforce your routine. Sunlight helps reset your body’s internal clock and signals that it’s time to be awake. Something as simple as opening your curtains or taking a brief walk outdoors shortly after waking can cue your brain to feel alert during the day, which in turn helps it wind down at night. Consistency, plus morning light, will have you sleeping and waking more in sync with your body’s needs.
Optimise Your Sleep Environment
Your bedroom environment has a huge impact on sleep quality. To set yourself up for a great night’s rest, make your bedroom a calm, comfortable sanctuary. Focus on three main factors: temperature, light, and noise.
- Keep it cool: Ever notice how you struggle to sleep in a sweltering room? Temperature can make or break your sleep. Experts generally recommend an ideal bedroom temperature of around 16–18°C (60–65°F) for restful sleep. A room that’s too hot or stuffy can cause restlessness and fragment your sleep, while a slightly cool room helps your body relax. Make sure your space is well-ventilated – a cool, well-ventilated room is usually better to sleep in than a hot or stuffy one. If you tend to get warm at night, consider using a fan or swapping to lighter bedding in summer. Conversely, if you’re often cold, keep an extra blanket at hand (but avoid overheating the room itself).
- Keep it dark: Darkness is your friend when it comes to sleep. Light exposure at the wrong time can trick your brain into staying alert. At night, use curtains or blinds to block streetlights or early sunrise. The Sleep Charity notes that even small light sources (like a glowing alarm clock) can interfere with deep sleep, since our bodies sense light through our eyelids. Consider removing or covering electronics that emit light. If needed, wear a comfortable sleep mask. A truly dark room helps your body produce melatonin (the sleep hormone) and maintain an uninterrupted sleep.
- Keep it quiet: Noise is another common sleep disruptor. Loud or sudden sounds – traffic, noisy neighbours, or a partner’s snoring – can jolt you awake and make it hard to drift off. Try using foam earplugs or a white noise machine/fan to mask disruptive sounds. Soft, steady background noise (like a humming fan or gentle rain sounds) can actually help some people sleep by drowning out sudden sounds. Also, if you live in a noisy area, investing in double-glazed windows or even thick rugs (to absorb noise) can create a quieter sleeping space. Silence is golden for sleep, so do what you can to cultivate a peaceful hush in your bedroom.
- Make it comfortable: Don’t overlook the basics – a tidy, comfortable bed and bedding. We spend about a third of our lives in bed, so it’s worth making that environment cosy. Use comfortable pillows and bedding appropriate to the season (breathable cotton for summer, heavier duvets for winter, etc.). Ensure your mattress and bed are inviting – we’ll talk more about how to choose a good mattress and bed frame next. Also, consider keeping work and screens out of the bedroom. You want your brain to associate this space with sleep and relaxation, not Netflix, work emails, or other stressors.
By optimizing these aspects of your environment, you’re removing many of the common barriers to quality sleep. A cool, dark, and quiet room sends a strong signal to your body that it’s time to power down. Small changes – like adjusting the thermostat, getting blackout curtains, or using a fan for white noise – can make a huge difference in how quickly you fall asleep and how soundly you stay asleep through the night.
Choose the Right Mattress and Bed Frame
If you routinely wake up feeling achy or not well-rested, your bed might be part of the problem. A supportive, comfortable mattress and a sturdy bed frame are foundations of good sleep (pun intended!). Here’s what to consider:
Mattress matters: An old or unsuitable mattress can sabotage your sleep. Over time, mattresses lose support and accumulate wear (and, frankly, dust and dead skin – yuck!). It may surprise you, but the National Bed Federation – the UK’s bed industry authority – recommends replacing your mattress every 7–8 years. By then, a mattress has endured roughly 20,000+ hours of use and probably isn’t as supportive or hygienic as it once was. Mattresses that lack comfort or support are likely to leave you waking up tired and achy, and can even disturb your partner’s sleep if you share the bed (think rolling toward the middle or feeling every toss and turn).
When choosing a new mattress, one size doesn’t fit all. The best mattress is one that fits your needs and body type. Factors like your weight, build, and preferred sleep position (side, back, stomach) all influence what level of firmness or type of mattress is most comfortable. For example, some people – particularly back sleepers or those with higher body weight – prefer an extra firm mattress for maximum support.
An extra-firm bed can keep your spine aligned if a standard mattress leaves you sinking in too much. However, ultra-firm isn’t automatically better for everyone. If a mattress is too hard for your body, it can create pressure points on your hips, shoulders, or knees, just as a mattress that’s too soft might let your body sag into poor posture. The key is to find a mattress that supports good posture (keeping your spine aligned) while also cushioning pressure points comfortably. This might be a medium-firm mattress for one person or an extra firm for another. Don’t be afraid to test mattresses out in a showroom or take advantage of trial periods from retailers – your sleep is worth the effort!
Bed frame and size: Your bed frame or base plays an important role, too. A wobbly, creaky frame that sags in the middle will undermine even the best mattress. Make sure you have a strong bed frame that properly supports your mattress and weight. If you’ve noticed your bed frame bowing, screws coming loose, or lots of noise when you move, it might be time for an upgrade. Look for a frame that’s robust and solid – especially if you’re on the heavier side or tall, or if the bed will support two adults.
Speaking of which, size matters for shared sleep: if you share a bed with a partner, ensure it’s big enough for both of you to sleep comfortably without bumping into each other. The Sleep Charity suggests at least a 5ft wide mattress (king size) as a minimum for two people. A larger bed gives each person space to move at night, which means you’re less likely to be disturbed by one another’s tossing and turning.
Also consider what type of bed frame suits your lifestyle. For instance, if you’re short on floor space or living in a city flat, adult bunk beds or loft beds could be an innovative solution. These aren’t just for kids or dorms – there are sturdy, full-size bunk bed designs for adults that let you maximise vertical space. An adult bunk bed can allow two sleeping areas in the footprint of one, which is great for guest rooms or shared spaces. Just make sure any bunk bed intended for adults is well-built (check the weight rating) and has appropriate safety rails and headroom. With a quality mattress on it, a bunk or loft bed can be just as comfortable as a traditional bed, while freeing up space.
Lastly, don’t forget the pillows and bedding. A good pillow that supports your neck and matches your sleep position can prevent neck pain and improve comfort. Replace flat, lumpy pillows – you’d be amazed how much a supportive pillow can improve how you feel in the morning. Choose breathable, clean bedding that keeps you at a comfortable temperature through the night. All these elements – mattress, frame, pillow, and bedding – work together to create a comfortable sleep setup. Investing in your sleep space is investing in your health and happiness!
Adopt Healthy Lifestyle Habits for Better Sleep
Improving your “sleep hygiene” isn’t just about bedtime – it’s influenced by what you do all day. By adopting some healthy lifestyle habits, you can set yourself up for sounder sleep. Here are a few science-backed habits to build:
- Stay active (but time it right): Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your sleep (and overall health). Physical activity during the day helps you feel more tuckered out come bedtime and can lead to deeper, more restorative sleep. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days – even a brisk walk counts. Just avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime, since exercising vigorously in the late evening can rev you up and make it harder to fall asleep. A good rule of thumb is to finish exercise at least 2 hours before you plan to sleep. That way, your body has time to cool down and relax. An evening yoga or stretching routine is fine, but maybe save the hardcore cardio for the morning or afternoon.
- Watch what (and when) you eat & drink: What you consume in the hours before bed can greatly affect your sleep. Heavy or spicy meals late at night might cause indigestion or discomfort that keeps you up. Try to eat dinner a few hours before bedtime, and if you’re peckish later, opt for a light snack rather than a feast. Likewise, don’t go to bed starving – hunger pains can wake you up – but avoid large quantities of fluids right before bed to minimize middle-of-the-night bathroom trips.
Caffeine is a major sleep disruptor for many people: it’s a stimulant that can stay in your system for 6+ hours. The NHS advises cutting out caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks) at least in the late afternoon and evening, as even a small amount too late in the day can interfere with falling asleep. In fact, giving yourself a caffeine curfew about 6–8 hours before bed is a wise move. And while it might be obvious, avoid other stimulants like nicotine before bed as well – that bedtime cigarette can actually perk you up when you’re trying to wind down.
- Go easy on alcohol: A nightcap drink might seem like it helps you sleep because alcohol can initially make you drowsy. However, using alcohol as a sleep aid is not a good idea. As the alcohol is metabolised during the night, it tends to disrupt your sleep cycles – you spend more time in lighter stages of sleep and wake up more often, plus you might need to run to the loo.
The Sleep Charity warns that while alcohol is a sedative, it significantly reduces sleep quality, often causing lots of wake-ups in the second half of the night and leaving you feeling unrefreshed. In short, that glass of wine or whiskey may knock you out initially, but you’ll pay for it with poorer sleep later. It’s fine to enjoy the occasional drink with dinner, but try to limit alcohol closer to bedtime and definitely don’t rely on it as a sleep remedy.
- Unplug and wind down: In our screen-filled world, this one is big. The blue light from phones, tablets, computers, and even TVs can fool your brain into thinking it’s daytime, suppressing the melatonin you need to feel sleepy. Scrolling Instagram or replying to work emails in bed also keeps your mind engaged when it should be relaxing. Make it a habit to avoid electronic devices at least an hour before bed.
Instead, create a calming pre-sleep routine to help you unwind. You could take a warm bath, do some gentle stretches, or curl up with a good book. Many people find that reading, listening to soft music, or a guided meditation in that last hour before lights-out really helps ease them into sleep. Dimming the lights in your house in the lead-up to bedtime can also cue your body that night-time (and sleep) is coming.
By the time you hit the sheets, you’ll be nice and relaxed. If you often lie in bed with your thoughts racing, consider mindfulness techniques or deep breathing exercises to calm your mind – the NHS even suggests writing a to-do list before bed if worry keeps you awake, so you can set those concerns aside till morning.
By building these habits, you’ll be tackling sleep troubles from multiple angles. Daytime and evening routines play a big role in how well you sleep at night. It may help to think of better sleep as a 24-hour goal: what you do during the day (exercise, diet, stress management) can pave the way for a smoother night. Small changes, like cutting out that 9 p.m. coffee or powering down your phone earlier, can yield big improvements in your sleep quality.
Conclusion
Achieving restful sleep is a journey, and Better Sleep Awareness Month is a great motivation to start making changes. Remember, it often takes a few weeks for new habits (like a fixed bedtime or reduced caffeine) to really pay off, so stick with it. The reward – waking up feeling genuinely refreshed and energised – is absolutely worth the effort.
To recap, consistency is key: keep your sleep schedule regular and create a bedroom environment that’s cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in your comfort with a suitable mattress and a strong bed frame that supports you (there’s no shame in upgrading your old bed – your health deserves it!). And don’t forget the power of healthy habits: stay active, mind your food and caffeine, moderate the alcohol, and give yourself permission to unwind each evening.
With advice from UK sleep experts like the NHS and The Sleep Charity guiding you, you can trust these strategies are backed by science and proven to help. Better sleep won’t just improve your nights – it will boost your mood, productivity, and overall health in the daytime too. Here’s to turning those restless nights into restorative slumbers.
Happy Better Sleep Awareness Month, and sweet dreams!