Sleeptember Survey Results: Your Sleep Tips, According to You

From cool rooms to cosy chapters, the small rituals our community swears by for a more restful night

The results are in from our Sleeptember Survey! We all struggle to sleep from time to time, and nearly everyone seems to have a trick they swear by, so in September we invited our many newsletter subscribers to share theirs via our survey and competition giveaway.

More than 3,500 of our lovely customers took part, contributing thousands of written tips that ranged from time-honoured classics to some wonderfully inventive ideas. We've read every one, and several clear themes emerged...

What Keeps You Awake?

Before turning to the sleep tips, we asked what most often stands between you and a good night's sleep. Worries came out on top, named by around 4 in 10 of you (42%), while noise or light followed at 20% and aches and pains at 17%. Scrolling was the main culprit for 9% of you, and a bed partner, human or animal, for 6%.

YOUR Most Popular Sleep Tips

Here's how your written tips broke down, from most to least popular.

1. A cool room and fresh air (28%)

By some distance, your favourite tip. Open windows, fans and chilly bedrooms came up again and again, often paired with a warm duvet to snuggle under.

Why does it help? Our body temperature naturally drops as we get ready for sleep, and a cooler bedroom supports that process. Many of you also said the contrast between a fresh room and a cosy bed makes getting under the covers feel like a treat.

2. Lavender, warm baths and showers (22%)

A spritz of pillow spray, a few drops of oil on the pillowcase, a long soak or a warm shower before bed.

Why does it help? These rituals work as a signal. Doing the same calming thing each night teaches your mind and body that the day is over. A warm bath or shower also helps, as the cooling-down afterwards mimics your body's natural temperature dip.

3. Reading a book (14%)

A few quiet pages, ideally on paper. Several of you recommended something gentle or familiar, so you can put it down when your eyes get heavy.

Why does it help? A good book gives your mind somewhere else to be, so it stops replaying the day. It's a low-stimulation way to wind down, as long as it isn't so gripping that you can't stop turning the pages!

4. Soothing sounds and audio (13%)

Rainfall, ocean waves, white noise, audiobooks and sleep stories all featured.

Why does it help? A steady, gentle sound gives the mind something calm to focus on, and it can soften the little noises that might otherwise wake you.

5. Screens off (12%)

Many of you keep phones out of the bedroom or switch off an hour before bed, swapping scrolling for a book.

Why does it help? Screens keep the brain engaged, and the bright light can make it harder to feel sleepy. Putting them away removes both the stimulation and the temptation to check "just one more thing".

6. Breathing, meditation and relaxation (11%)

From box breathing and 4-7-8 to slow exhales and guided meditations.

Why does it help? Slow, steady breathing gives you something simple to concentrate on and helps the body shift out of alert mode. Like reading, it moves your attention away from worries.

Do Mind Games Really Help You Sleep?

One of the most charming trends came from the mental games many of you play. Some of you work through the alphabet, naming a person, a place or a film for every letter, while others count backwards from 100. Many said they rarely reach the end.

That's very close to the idea behind cognitive shuffling, where you give your mind a gentle, low-stimulation task in place of your worries. If you haven't tried it yet, our guide explains how it works.

What Were the Quirkiest Tips?

Not every tip fitted into a category, but we loved them... 

• Turn your pillow upside down, or move it to the bottom of the bed
• Pop your pillowcase in the fridge on a hot night
• Blink rapidly until your eyes tire
• Keep a "worry notebook" by the bed, so thoughts are parked until tomorrow
• Cuddle a pet, a partner or a soft toy, at any age!