That thing we all know is important… and yet somehow it can be the first thing to be affected when life gets busy.

World Sleep Day is a brilliant reminder that sleep isn’t lazy, indulgent, or something to “catch up on later”.

It’s one of the foundations of good mental health, physical wellbeing, focus, mood, and resilience. In other words, when sleep goes, everything else wobbles.

And before you think “this doesn’t apply to me”,  if you’ve ever felt foggy, irritable, overwhelmed, anxious, or like your brain has stopped buffering mid-sentence… sleep might be part of the picture.

The good news? Improving sleep doesn’t have to mean an unrealistic 8-hour target or a total lifestyle overhaul. Small, consistent changes can make a genuine difference.

Here are five realistic, evidence-informed tips we often share with individuals and workplaces to support better sleep.

1. Keep your sleep and wake times boring (yes, really)

Your brain loves routine. Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time, even on weekends, helps regulate your body clock. Big lie-ins can feel lovely, but they often make Monday mornings harder than they need to be.

2. Be mindful of alcohol, it’s a trickster

Alcohol can make you feel drowsy and help you fall asleep faster, but it disrupts sleep quality later in the night. That means more fragmented sleep and less time in the restorative stages your brain and body actually need. Less judgment, more awareness.

3. Create a gentle wind-down buffer

Jumping straight from emails, scrolling, or late-night TV into bed is like slamming the brakes at 70mph. A short wind-down routine, dim lights, stretching, reading, or a warm shower, helps your nervous system shift gears.

4. Stop chasing sleep — aim for rest instead

Lying in bed mentally shouting “GO TO SLEEP” tends to do the opposite. Try focusing on rest: slow breathing, relaxing your body, or listening to something calming. Sleep often follows when we stop forcing it.

5. Track your sleep to understand your patterns

Sleep trackers can be really helpful for spotting patterns. What gets measured gets managed (and understood). Over time, you’ll notice what helps or hinders your sleep, from caffeine and alcohol to stress and routines.

To mark World Sleep Day on Friday 13th March, we’ll be exploring sleep, energy, and realistic wellbeing strategies in our free monthly webinar with Sleep Specialist, Kerry Davies, aka “The Sleep Fixer.

Date: 12 February 2026
Time: 11.30am-12noon
Cost: Free

Whether you’re struggling with sleep yourself, supporting others, or simply want practical tools that work in real life, we’d love you to join us.

Sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s an essential!

Email:  kirstine@bmrhealthandwellbeing.co.uk to reserve a spot