Health-related New Year’s resolutions are always popular, with many Britons vowing to take care of themselves come January following weeks of festivities.
According to a survey by Bensons for Beds, how to get a better night’s sleep is on the agenda for many Britons in 2025. Indeed, half of UK adults say it’s their top priority for the new year.
For those who want to increase their hours of shut-eye or drift off easier after a busy day, resident sleep expert at Bensons for Beds, Dr Sophie Bostock, has provided a fresh take on how to banish sleepless nights in favour of the coveted eight hours.
She named the habits that could be sabotaging your shut-eye – including scrolling late at night and drinking coffee after midday – and how to kick them.
According to a new survey, sleeping better is a top priority for Britons in 2025
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Dr Bostock said: “Research shows that getting seven or more hours of good quality sleep not only protects our physical health but also supports our mental health, relationships and productivity.”
The expert recommended brainstorming all the things you do that impact your sleep – and then finding ways to cut them out.
She said: “Think of all the habits you could change to improve your sleep timing or quality. What has been a challenge in 2024? What has been sabotaging your sleep?
“If you were advising your best friend to improve their sleep, what would you tell them? Start with a long list, you do not need to reject any ideas yet.
“Popular ideas might be less scrolling late at night, drinking less caffeine, waking up at the same time (even at the weekend), eating earlier in the evening and sticking to a routine bedtime.”
Once making these changes, it is important to remain consistent as complacency can creep back into your patterns. But falling back into the same sleep-disrupting traps will only lead you back to square one.
Dr Bostock advised: “To adopt a new habit, it needs to be something you can do very easily, which could have a meaningful impact on your sleep.
“When we are tired, even small changes might feel overwhelming, so try to think of the easiest way to make that change.
“For example, instead of giving up caffeine entirely, try only buying decaf coffee to keep at home, or stop drinking caffeinated drinks from midday.”
A new habit needs to be achievable and manageable so you’re more likely to to stick to it
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Another way to stick with a new habit is to keep reminding yourself of what you are trying to achieve. Many resolutions fail because we forget about them.
The expert advised: “You could try setting a reminder on your phone or enlisting a partner or close friend to make the change with you.
“For example, if you want to stop scrolling in bed, try to get the whole family to leave their phones in the kitchen overnight. All set an alarm at 9pm and remind each other that it’s time to switch off.
“Wearable sleep trackers are increasingly popular, but if you did not get a sleep tracker for Christmas, printing out a sleep diary and monitoring your habits manually is another great way to measure the impact of your new sleep habits.”