Resources for Better Sleep

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

Minimise caffeine & alcohol
No exercise 4-6 hours before bed
Keep to a bed-time routine
Have a bed-time snack
Move out the things you do during the day (TV, phone, email, radio)
Keep your bedroom quiet, dark and cool
Set a wake-up time. At weekends, have no longer than one hour extra
Don’t go to bed if you’re not sleepy
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

Related Resources

Lifestyle Changes
Strict dieting is unsustainable for most people. Use this resource to consider how to make gradual and realistic changes to move towards a healthier lifestyle.
Sleepio
Sleepio is a 6 week online program designed by sleep experts and based on cognitive and behavioural techniques.

Physical Activity
Physical activity can be really helpful for improving our physical and mental health but it is not always easy to fit in the recommended amount or to find the right balance against other important areas of our lives.
Weight Management Webinars
A series of patient education webinars developed by NHS weight management and community dietetic teams to work through at your own pace. Includes videos on balanced eating, stress management and overcoming your inner critic.

The Wellbeing Lothian website has been developed to provide information, self-help resources and links to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing.

We want to help you make changes in your own lives and point you in a direction to start doing so. This is Wellbeing Lothian’s aim.

Learn More about Wellbeing Lothian

This website is not intended in any way to replace the advice of a clinician. Specific advice should be sought in specific situations from a properly qualified health worker.

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