I thought 4–5 hours of sleep was enough until it wasn’t

For a long time, I treated sleep as the thing I could cut back on to fit everything else in.

I’d go to bed around 11pm, get up at 4 or 5am, pull on my gym clothes and commute to Leicester or Nottingham. I’d go to the gym, be at my desk by 7am, and often not get home until around 7pm. Then it was a shower, tea, a bit of television and bed ready to do it all again.

I told myself I was managing. But looking back, that routine wasn’t sustainable. I felt as though I was running on empty and getting close to burning out.

When my commute reduced and I started working more locally, I had a little more room to notice what my body needed. I still wanted to exercise, but I began to understand that I didn’t have to push myself in the same way every day. Sleep needed to be part of looking after myself, too.

I started with small changes: having tea earlier, beginning my evening routine sooner, and listening to a guided meditation as I settled for bed. Gradually, I worked towards getting around seven to eight hours of sleep. The difference I noticed in how I felt was significant.

I’m thinking about sleep again now because life looks very different and with a three-month-old, nights can be unpredictable. I’m not sharing this as someone who has found a perfect routine or has sleep all figured out. I’m sharing it because I know how easy it is to treat rest as optional, and how much a little more care around it can matter.

If sleep feels like one more thing you’re getting wrong, please be gentle with yourself. Your routine doesn’t need to be elaborate, and it won’t look the same every night. You could try one small transition from “doing” to “resting”: write down tomorrow’s to-do list, take a few slow breaths, stretch your shoulders, read something light, or listen to a short meditation.

Choose what feels manageable. Try it with curiosity, and notice whether it helps you wind down. This isn’t about being perfect; it’s about finding a few gentle signals that help you move towards rest.

A while back, I created Restful Nights: A Guide to Better Sleep for my HayLowe members. With sleep on my mind again, I thought I’d share it with you all in case you find some of the ideas helpful too. You can download it here: Download Restful Nights.

What’s one small thing that helps you switch off in the evening?