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Sleep problems

It’s normal to sometimes struggle with your sleep. But if you’re having a lot of sleepless nights and it’s starting to affect your daily life, it could be a sign of a sleep problem. We have advice that can help.

A girl wearing glasses sitting on the end of her bed while using her laptop.

Sleep and mental health are closely linked. If you’re struggling to sleep, daily life can feel tough. And if you’re feeling down, you might not be able to sleep.

Lots of people struggle with their sleep but there are things you can try out that might help.

Everyone needs a different amount of sleep, but the NHS recommends:

  • seven to nine hours for adults (over 18)
  • nine to thirteen hours for children (under 18)

If you usually feel tired during the day, you might not be getting enough sleep. It’s a good idea to take a look at your sleeping habits and find ways to improve your nights.

Advice for common sleep problems

There are loads of reasons why you might find sleeping tough. Most people struggle with their sleep now and then. Here are some common reasons we’ve heard from young people and things you can try to help.

Your wellbeing and mental health can really affect your sleep. For example:

  • anxiety can leave you feeling on edge or even cause panic attacks at night
  • depression can disrupt your sleep, making you sleep either too much or too little
  • trauma or PTSD might lead to nightmares or night terrors, making you feel unsafe in the dark
  • psychosis can make falling asleep difficult if you have frightening hallucinations
  • mania and hypomania might leave you feeling overly energetic and awake
  • ADHD can mean you have racing thoughts that keep you awake

There are lots of feelings and conditions that might impact your sleep, and not getting enough sleep can also make it harder to manage your mental health. When you’re tired, it can be hard to maintain your routine or cope with difficult emotions. We have lots of advice on mental health conditions and feelings that can support you.

Find help

Not having a good sleep routine can make you feel tired and make it hard to wake up when you need to. And getting into a good routine can be really tough, especially if you work at night or care for a family member.

If you can, try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day or only going to bed when you’re feeling tired. Try it out for a few days and see if you notice any changes.

Where you sleep can have a huge impact. Sleeping somewhere noisy or uncomfortable could keep you awake or mean you can’t stay asleep. You might not be able to change where you sleep, but doing a few small things can help you rest.

If you have one, putting a blanket on top of your mattress can make your bed more comfortable. Wrapping yourself in a duvet can be soothing and help you to relax. You could also wear earplugs and an eye mask to keep out the noise and light.

Staying up late gaming, scrolling on your phone or streaming your favourite show can throw off your routine. The light from screens can make it hard to relax. Using ‘night mode’ or changing the brightness can help with this a bit. You could also try downloading a blue light filter or use blue light glasses.

Doing something calming and relaxing before bed that doesn’t use your phone can help. You could try some breathing exercises, grounding techniques, journaling or listening to something soothing. Try and do these things without using your phone.

Taking some medications or coming off them can cause sleep problems. Our medication advice guides can help you understand the side effects of different medicines. If your medication is stopping you from sleeping, speak to your GP.

Read our medication guides
A boy sits on a park bench wearing a blue puffer jacket with his hands in his pockets. He is looking straight ahead as if deep in thought.
I wake up feeling groggy as it’s a heavy sedative, and feeling like a bit of a zombie. This did make me anxious at first, as I worried that maybe I’d taken too much, but this is normal and does fade.
What it’s like to take zopiclone for extreme emotional distress
  • I recommend turning your phone off and simply practising some simple breathing exercises to relax before sleeping.
  • If you experience anxious thoughts when you're trying to sleep, remind yourself that there will be plenty of time to think about those things in the daytime.
  • Give yourself time to wind down before bed. Try to do something relaxing or boring so that you’ll feel tired.
  • Things that help me are, listening to relaxing music, trying to stick to a time to go to bed and get up, smells you associate with calmness, limiting screen exposure and a notebook to jot down any worries.

Sleep disorders and treatments

If you’ve been struggling with your sleep for a long time, and you’ve tried different things to help, speak to your GP. You might have something called a sleep disorder which your doctor can help with.

It might also be linked to a mental health condition, like depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Here are some examples of sleep disorders.

  • Nightmares and bad dreams

    Dreams help us to process our day and the things we’re worried about. Sometimes our worries can turn into nightmares, which is very normal. Talking about or even drawing your bad dreams can help you find out what’s causing them. It could be anything from a scary film to more serious things like trauma or abuse.

  • Sleep apnoea

    This is a condition where your breathing stops and starts during sleep. It can become a serious problem so needs to be treated. Sleep apnoea can be treated with some lifestyle changes like losing weight, stopping smoking and reducing how much alcohol you drink. Your doctor might refer you to a sleep clinic and offer different treatments like a gum shield or a breathing machine.

  • Insomnia

    Insomnia is a condition where you find it hard to sleep and stay asleep long enough to feel well rested. Sometimes it can go away by changing up your sleeping routine. But if you’re struggling to sleep well, your GP will help you find out what’s going on and how to help.

  • Wetting the bed

    Bedwetting is very common and nothing to be ashamed of. But it can be really distressing and mean you feel more tired if it wakes you up. If it’s something that you’re worried about, speak to your GP and they can help you get the right support.

Real stories about sleep problems

Get help now

If something is keeping you up at night, even if you're not sure what it is, here are some services that can support you.

  • Childline

    If you’re under 19 you can confidentially call, chat online or email about any problem big or small.

    Sign up for a free Childline locker (real name or email address not needed) to use their free 1-2-1 counsellor chat and email support service.

    Can provide a BSL interpreter if you are deaf or hearing-impaired.

    Hosts online message boards where you can share your experiences, have fun and get support from other young people in similar situations.

    Opening times:
    24/7
    Childline

  • Samaritans

    Whatever you're going through, you can contact the Samaritans for support. N.B. This is a listening service and does not offer advice or intervention.

    Opening times:
    24/7
    Samaritans

  • Youth Access

    Provides information about local counselling and advice services for young people aged 11-25.

    Put in your location and what you need help with into their 'Find help' search, and see what services are available in your area.

    Youth Access

More information and advice

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Please be aware that this form isn’t a mental health support service. If you are in crisis right now and want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

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This form is not a mental health support service. We cannot reply to this. If you are at risk of immediate harm, call 999 and ask for an ambulance or go to your nearest A&E. If you are worried about your mental health, call: Childline (for under 19s) on 0800 11 11; or Samaritans on 116 123.

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