“I’m an Olympic sleep expert – here’s my tried-and-tested 5-step plan for better sleep”

A woman sleeping

Credit: Getty

Strong Women


“I’m an Olympic sleep expert – here’s my tried-and-tested 5-step plan for better sleep”

By Lauren Geall

7 months ago

5 min read

Sleep like a member of Team GB with the help of this five-step plan from an expert sleep scientist.


Sleep is supposed to be a relaxing thing. But if you struggle with it, getting a good night’s rest can seem like an Olympic-level feat. Between all the sleep hacks, calming bedtime routines and supplements, all the sleep advice and products out there can make it feel as if you need to jump an endless number of hurdles to get the rest you deserve – as if sleep is a skill you can improve or perfect.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work that way. While giving yourself dedicated wind-down time or using a supplement that helps you to relax might help you rest a little easier, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to sleep. Instead, you need to make things a little more personal – and that’s where the concept of a ‘sleep MOT’ comes in.  

Designed to help you uncover the issues you’re facing and take steps to rectify them, a sleep MOT is a great way to reflect and refamiliarise yourself with the habits and interventions that work for you. It involves asking yourself a series of questions about your sleep and writing down ways you can change your attitudes or habits to support your rest. But what kind of questions should we be asking?

If there’s one person who has the answer, it’s Dr Luke Gupta, Olympic sleep expert, performance innovation consultant and circadian scientist at the UK Sports Institute. Known for helping elite athletes to optimise their sleep, Dr Gupta has partnered with Dreams, as part of its work as the official sleep partner of Team GB and Paralympics GB, to devise a sleep MOT that’ll help us all to get to the core of our sleep issues.

So, whether you can’t stop tossing or turning throughout the night, struggle to get to sleep in the first place or simply feel like your sleep isn’t as high quality as you’d like, this five-step plan for better sleep is a great place to start. 


1. Define what ‘good’ sleep looks like to you

While we all want to feel well-rested, everyone wants slightly different things from their sleep – perhaps you’d like to get back to sleep easier when you wake up in the night or be able to lie in at the weekend.

To identify exactly what you want or need, Dr Gupta recommends thinking back to your sleep over the last month or so. “Take a moment to reflect on your recent sleep experiences and identify any emerging patterns in the last few weeks,” he says. “Look at the factors you think might be positively or negatively affecting your sleep, considering things such as bedtime routines, environment, and stressors. 

“Then, without overthinking, note down what quality sleep means to you, avoiding comparisons to idealised standards to ensure you set realistic expectations.” 

Woman sleeping

Credit: Getty

2. Identify your ‘sleep vulnerabilities’

These are the things that tend to disrupt your sleep. While you might need to keep a sleep journal to identify exactly what’s impacting you, you can start by thinking about any particularly poor nights of sleep you’ve had recently and consider whether they have anything in common.

“You want to think about your nightly routines, including bedtime habits, environment and stress levels,” Dr Gupta explains. “Note recurring disturbances like caffeine intake and consider emotional factors such as anxiety or mood changes. By pinpointing patterns and triggers, you can then develop strategies to address these vulnerabilities and improve your sleep quality.”

3. Connect your sleep to your day

For this step, you don’t need to think so far back. Instead, consider your sleep last night: was it good or bad? Restless or restful? Next, try to think about any factors throughout the day that could have impacted you.

“Note down any key learnings to help you identify scenarios impacting your sleep vulnerability and understand coping strategies which work for you,” Dr Gupta recommends. “This holistic approach helps you to navigate disruptions and ultimately boosts your confidence in your ability to manage your sleep.”

4. Embrace all the different measurements of sleep

While seven to nine hours of sleep is the ‘ideal’ number you’ll see recommended by sleep experts, it’s important to remember that sleep isn’t just a time game.  

“Try to recognise that sleep is multi-dimensional, extending beyond mere quality and quantity,” Dr Gupta says. “Factors such as duration, regularity, timing and satisfaction all contribute to overall sleep health, so avoid prioritising one over the other – sleeping well for three hours doesn’t necessarily mean healthy sleep. Nor does sleeping for 10 hours if you wake up feeling unrefreshed.

“Embracing sleep’s multi-dimensional nature helps you to understand it better and makes it easier for you to manage your sleep and not panic about it in stressful or challenging times.” 

A woman covering her eyes while napping

Credit: Getty

5. Create your ideal sleep space

By now, you should feel more aware of the factors affecting your sleep and the role sleep plays in your life – the final step is to create a space which helps you to consolidate your sleep experience.

However, when trying to make your bedroom more restful and welcoming, it’s important to remember that everyone is different. While the idea of white silk sheets might appeal to one person, another might prefer bright prints that feel warm and inviting. Everyone is different, so don’t subscribe to what works for a friend or family member.

“There is no single ‘perfect’ sleep environment for all,” Dr Gupta reiterates. “To create your ideal space, assess your sleep space for familiarity, calmness, comfort, safety, lighting, noise control and temperature regulation. Tailoring your sleep environment to your needs is key to ensuring a restful night’s sleep.” 


Images: Getty

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