For years, we’ve been told that the key to better sleep lies in creating the perfect bedtime routine: lavender sprays, warm baths, dimmed lights and chamomile tea, says sleep expert Kathryn Pinkham, founder of the Insomnia Clinic.
These “sleep hygiene” habits are comforting, familiar and often helpful. But for many people – especially those dealing with long-term sleep difficulties – they simply aren’t enough.
The truth is that sleep hygiene alone rarely fixes insomnia. In fact, for some, trying to perfect their nightly routine can make sleep more stressful.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene was never intended to cure insomnia. It was designed as a set of basic lifestyle habits that support good sleep in people who already sleep reasonably well. But consistent issues with falling asleep, waking in the night or too early are a very different beast. It’s driven not by late-night screen use or too much caffeine, but by something far more powerful: your brain’s learned association between bed and wakefulness.
- Struggling to sleep? Discover how to tackle sleep anxiety, so you can enjoy restful nights and days filled with adventure, with these expert tips
- Why can’t I fall asleep after exercising? We asked a sleep expert for their simple hacks to wind down after a workout
When someone has struggled with sleep for weeks, months or even years, the bedroom becomes a place where the mind is 'on alert'. The bed stops being a cue for sleep and starts being a cue for worry, pressure and trying really hard to drift off. That rise in nighttime anxiety, the surge of adrenaline or racing thoughts, is what keeps people awake – not the fact they didn't exercise that day or watched TV before bed.
No amount of good sleep hygiene can fix a body clock that is disrupted and a mindset that is on red alert at bedtime.
What is CBT-I?
This is where Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) comes in. CBT-I focuses on retraining the body and brain to associate bed with sleep again. It helps reduce the fear of not sleeping, quietens the mind at night and rebuilds a healthier sleep pattern for better quality sleep.
It’s practical, evidence-based and recommended as the first-line treatment for insomnia by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation, with numerous research studies demonstrating how effective a cure it is.
For people living busy lives, balancing early starts, long days, family responsibilities and daily stresses means the pressure to sleep well can build quickly. When sleep doesn’t go to plan, it’s common to try harder: going to bed earlier, lying in longer or layering on more sleep hygiene rituals. Unfortunately, these well-meant changes often deepen the cycle of broken sleep as they teach us to over-focus on sleep.
So while sleep hygiene has its place – for example, drinking caffeine before bed might keep you awake and it's unlikely you'll sleep well if you hate the way your bedroom feels – it isn’t the magic fix we’ve been led to believe. If your sleep has become something you dread, or if you 'do everything right' but still lie awake, it may be time to look beyond bedtime routines.
Real, lasting change comes from understanding how sleep really works and by building the foundations by resetting your mind, body and lifestyle.
- The key to better, more restful sleep could be sitting on your plate, say scientists
- The position you sleep in significantly impacts your health. But which is best: side, front or back?
- We're sleep experts and this is how firm your mattress should be to banish lower-back pain and ensure a good night’s sleep
