It doesn’t matter how extreme your insomnia is, the effects can be highly debilitating and ultimately, if left unmanaged, can effect you rmental health too.
Now, I’m a self-confessed insomniac, usually managing around 3 hours a night on a good day. How do I survive? Rest, painkillers, anti–depressants and more rest. It is incredibly hard to exist with little sleep and even though I’m terrible at managing my sleep skills, I have lots of tips to pass on to you to try.
Aa quick search online explains how big this problem is. NHS Inform – the Scottish NHS website – confirms that 1 in every 3 people is experiencing a sleep problem at any given time. A wide variety of causes have been mentioned including mental illness, stress, snoring, pain and even the weather.
Remember – These stress hacks are short-term fixes, but the COPE Campaign page has information on Creative Coping Strategies that can be deployed long-term for more difficult periods, again, in line with official support from the NHS and other organisations.
Don’t forget, for mental health support I have a dedicated mental health and suicide prevention support page on this website filled with websites to try, online chats to connect with and phone numbers to dial. If you are at all concerned aboiut the mental well-being of yourself or a child you care for then try those organisations or, better still, speak to your GP or local NHS mental health service.
Whatever level of insomnia you are experiencing, there are lots of things you can do to try and reduce or even eradicate the problem.
Easy access guide to sleep – the 10 3 2 1 0 method.
If you’re looking for a quick fix, this method might help you, but in an easy-to-remember way. The 10 3 2 1 0 method is widely reported as a winddown routine that’s simple to implement and memorise. The numbers represent hours before bedtime, and at each interval you are starting to shut down activities that can disrupt your sleep. Here’s a breakdown
| Hours before bed | Description |
| 10 hours before bed | Stop drinking and eating any products with caffeine |
| 3 hours before bed | Stop eating and drinking alcohol |
| 2 hours before bed | Stop working and any strenuous activity |
| 1 hour before bed | No more screen time. Turn off television, computers, phones, tablets and other electronic devices. |
| Bedtime | Allegedly the number of times you’ll need to hit snooze. |
I’ve read good an bad reviews of this method, so I realise it’s not for everyone. However, if you are desperate for a fast solution that you can keep up long term then this might be a good place to start.
Level 1 – Simple Sleep Hacks
Good sleep hygiene is important for everyone, so at level one of my sleep hack advice system is everything that falls in this category. These are simple things we can all do to promote better slumber without breaking the bank or our personal happiness. Many of these might seem obvious, but in reality we’re often neglecting these simple tasks and ruining our chances at a good sleep.
| Title | Description | Rating out of 5⭐ |
| 1. Turn stuff off! | And I mean everything you can. Phones, tablets, the TV, consoles, voice assistants, everything. The sooner you turn them off the sooner you’ll feel sleepy. Top Tip – Some people suggest that the leaving devices in another room is even more effective. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2. Stick to a timetable | Committing to a timetable is an excellent way of training your mind and body to enter it’s resting phase. Regularly going to bed at the same time, and switching off your devices with it, will allow your mind a chance to shut down properly, and aid a good night of slumber. Top tip – Remember to set an alarm to wake up, because too much sleep can have an adverse effect too! | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3. Stop eating | Snacks in the evening is one of my favourite elements of bedtime, but it was putting my digestive system into meltdown right before I’m supposed to be sleeping. Instead of snacking before bed, experts suggest we shoould leave at least 3 hours between our last meal and bedtime. Top Tip – Get breakfast ready or plan something delicious before bedtime to give you something to look forward to. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4. Sleep in the dark | Yes, it’s night time so it’s supposed to be dark anyway, but whether it’s the TV, light bulbs, moonlight or our device screens, light is interrupting our brains wiring and preventing a good start to the night. Turn off all lights, close the blinds and go to sleep in darkness. Top tip – a cheap sleep mask is a great way to cheat your way to darkness if you’re unable to rid your bedroom of light interferences. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Level 2 – Slightly more complicated sleep hacks
If you’ve tried everything at level one and still need help, then level 2 ideas might assist further. These ideas are a bit more nuanced or complicated, but are reported to have a positive effect on sleep.
| Title | Description | Rating out of 5⭐ |
| 1. Use daytime naps | If you struggle to get a complete night of sleep for any reason, then using the daytime to nap can be an effective way of catching up and recharging. However, I realise many people simply don’t have time available to safely or effectively nap in the day. Top tip – daytime naps are more effective in the dark too, so shut the curtains and put on a sleep mask to get more from the time. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2. Get your medication timetable right | Although it’s designed to help us, many medications contain ingredients that can hamper sleep on a nightly basis. Top tip – Speak to your GP about the effect your medication is having on your sleep, or ask for advice from a phjarmacist if needed. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3. Relax before bedtime | A great way to get your mind ready for sleep is to have a mindful routine that works for you. That can include breathing techniques, taking a relaxing bath before bed, spraying some special lavendar sleep spray on your pillow amongst other things. Top tip – For relaxing ideas why not read a book about meditation at bedtime, instead of looking at the illuminated screen of a device? | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4. Keep the bed as a bed | Our beds have become a hub of activity, with my own bedroom being a craft space, eating area, movie watching room and many other things. But we should really reserve our beds for their intended tasks – sex and sleep. Top Tip – keep the bedroom door closed and move other activities to new rooms to help your bedroom feel more restful. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Level 3 – complex or pricey sleep hacks
Not all sleep hacks are free and easy, but if you are searching for some alternative suggestions then these might be for you.
| Title | Description | Rating out of 5⭐ |
| 1. Make your bedroom more luxurious | Not a cheap thing to do, but making your bedroom more luxurious can have a restful effect on our minds. Changing bedding to breathable cotton fabrics, finding patterns that rest our mind, getting the number of pillows right and making sure you flip your mattress regularly can all be helpful. Top tip – make sure your duvet is the right thickness (or tog) for your needs. For couples with different temperatures to think about, split duvets with different tog strengths on each size can be purchased. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2. Dont force sleep | Sounds silly, but when we’re desperate to get to sleep we’re often making it harder to achieve by trying to force it. If you’re lying awake in desperate need of some z’s and getting nowhere then roll it backwards, sit up comfortably and do soemthing relaxing. Lie back down when you are finally feeling sleepy again. Top tip – reading a book is thought to be the most effective undertaking for promoting sleep late at night. Don’t pick up your phone or turn on the TV. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3. Diet and exercise | A healthy diet and exercise routine are known to promote better sleep patterns and more restful sleep overall. However, as mentioned above, leave a good gap between eating, exercising and sleep to get the benefits. If you are struggling to undertake strenuous exercise then simple, gentle movements using something like yoga are also effective. Top tip – remember that exercise and diet also support good mental health. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
It’s important to remember that sleep routines take time, so don’t feel disheartened if these things don’t work straight away. Try out several at once and see what works best for you. In all cases you should always speak with your GP when sleep is having an effect on your wellbeing.
It’s hard to review these ideas against each other when they are all simple and useful and their efficacy will vary from person to person. For me, the best ideas are the cheapest and simplest to deploy, and that’s usually what my star rating is based on.
Remember, if you are looking for hacks to try with your kids then the kid friendly stress hacks page is available, as well as an adults only stress hacks page for us grown ups who need a break.
Good luck and thanks for visiting 💜
*You must not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.
Creative Steph 