Sleep and mental health
Not sleeping well? You could get into a vicious cycle of lack of sleep with increasing stress levels and low mood which could lead to you experiencing a mental health condition.
Getting enough sleep is crucial for your mental health. We’ve created lots of information, tools and advice to help you sleep better. And you don’t even have to be a Bupa customer.
Better sleep, better mental health
A lot of people struggle to get a good night’s sleep. Perhaps it takes you ages to drop off, or you’re awake several times in the night, or you wake up far too early. If this is your normal, we can help.
It’s important because the link between sleep and mental health is very strong. And besides depression, anxiety and stress, lack of sleep can lead to serious physical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Poor sleep also shortens your life expectancy.
Is it normal to have trouble sleeping?
If you suffer with disrupted sleep patterns, here are a few things that might help you get a better night’s sleep.
00:09 which can disrupt your sleep patterns.
00:12 If you haven't slept well, this can take a toll on your overall health
00:16 and well-being for the day ahead.
00:18 It's normal to have the odd bad night's sleep but you may be experiencing poor
00:24 sleep quality if you're continuously struggling to fall asleep or you
00:28 find yourself waking up frequently at night for more than 20 minutes.
00:33 There can be many reasons why you may be experiencing poor sleep quality.
00:38 These factors include having too much sugar in your body or not eating enough,
00:45 not getting enough exercise throughout the day, not drinking enough water, having
00:51 too much caffeine or drinking alcohol in the evening, and also high stress levels.
00:59 So what can be done to improve your sleep quality?
01:04 Cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT is a type of talking therapy which
01:09 can help you identify negative or unhelpful thinking patterns and
01:14 replace them with positive ones.
01:16 Paying attention to your thoughts and understanding how they make you
01:20 feel can enable you to recognise the source of your stress and make small
01:24 changes to help you feel better.
01:26 You can practice CBT either with a therapist.
01:29 Or using self help books.
01:31 Keeping up a good daily routine is also important to prepare your
01:35 body for a good night's sleep.
01:38 Try to exercise during the day is this can relieve anxiety and
01:41 stress leading to better sleep.
01:44 Avoid late night meals and alcohol or caffeine in the evening and try adopting
01:50 a pre-bedtime ritual like reading a book or having a hot bath or shower.
01:55 These routines should relax your mind and contribute to a good night's sleep.
02:00 If it's not clear what's causing your tiredness, you should speak
02:04 to your GP as there are other less common medical conditions
02:07 that can cause poor sleep quality.
02:10 Whatever's on your mind, we can help.
Sleep and mental health
“Up to one in three people in the UK have trouble sleeping at night. Some of the most common things that keep us awake are stress and worry. We know that sleep is essential for every aspect of physical and mental health, from helping us fight off the common cold to avoiding heart disease. And it’s crucial for mental sharpness and emotional wellbeing.”
Julius Patrick, Lead Sleep Physiologist at the Cromwell Hospital, December 2019
Podcast: Why is sleep so important for your health?
In this 40-minute podcast, our expert panel explores why sleep matters. What causes poor sleep? What happens if we don't get enough? What’s the impact of sleep on our physical and mental health?
Our tips for coping with sleep problems
Understanding insomnia
Our in-depth article looks at the symptoms and causes of insomnia. There are tips on self-help and the treatments that may be open to you.
Learn a muscle relaxation technique
Bupa’s free podcast takes you through a three-minute technique, allowing you to fall into a state of deep relaxation.
Six steps to a sound night’s sleep
Our simple guide will help you to actively relax and create the right conditions for a good night’s sleep.
Need help with sleep anxiety because of COVID-19?
Struggling to sleep because of COVID-19?
Is anxiety about COVID-19 disrupting your sleep? Or are you having strange dreams? Our top 10 tips could help you sleep better.
Managing and reducing anxiety during COVID-19
We take a look at the different reasons why people may be feeling more anxious, and ways to manage those worries or thought patterns.
Find Bupa-recognised mental health professionals near you
Our Finder tool lets you browse the directory of Bupa-recognised consultants, psychologists, therapists, counsellors and other professionals.
You don’t need to be a Bupa health insurance customer to see them, just make your own appointment and pay independently.
Workplace Wellbeing Hub
We’re here to help you support your team's wellbeing.
- Discover how to implement a workplace wellbeing strategy
- Get practical guidance on how to support your team's wellbeing, especially as they return to work
- Use our range of guides to help support your team
- Read our informative blog posts covering a range of topics
Workplace mental health
If you’re a manager, we can help you look after your team.
- Learn how to set up a Wellness Action Plan
- Improve your organisation's approach to mental health
- Discover how to play an important role in supporting your team
- Find out how to feel confident talking about mental health
#OpenUp
We want to open up the conversation in your business.
- Break the stigma attached to mental health in the workplace
- Find out how we are encouraging businesses to open up
- Get advice on talking about mental wellbeing with your team
- Listen to our podcasts covering mental health in the workplace
If you’re in a crisis or just need some help, don’t hesitate. Here are some really helpful organisations that you can turn to for support.
Samaritans
When life is difficult, Samaritans are there – day or night, 365 days a year. Whoever you are and whatever you’re facing, they won’t judge you or tell you what to do. They’re there to listen so you don’t have to face it alone.
Call free day or night on
116 123 (UK and ROI)
Mind
Mind is a charity dedicated to mental health. They exist to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone. They’ll listen to you and offer support and advice.
0300 123 3393
Lines open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays
Young Minds
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity for children’s and young people's mental health. You can text Crisis Messenger for free 24/7 and get support from trained volunteers who are supervised by experienced clinicians. Texts are free from most major mobile networks.
For urgent help, text YM to 85258
Mental Health Foundation
This charity helps people understand, protect and sustain their mental health. The ‘Your mental health’ section has lots of useful content, including podcasts about mindfulness and overcoming anxiety.
Rethink Mental Illness
Rethink offers crisis and recovery services, advocacy, online resources, support groups and much more. Each year, they help tens of thousands of people manage their mental wellbeing.
0300 5000 927
Lines open 9:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday
Mental health support as part of Bupa health insurance
I’m already a Bupa health insurance customer
If mental health is included in your Bupa health insurance, we can refer you to a consultant or therapist, and you may not even have to see your GP first†. Or we can put you through to one of our mental health nurses.
0808 256 1766^
^Calls may be recorded and to maintain the quality of our service we may monitor some of our calls, always respecting the confidentiality of the call.
I’m not a Bupa customer, but I’m interested in health insurance
If you’re looking for mental health support as part of a broader health insurance policy, we can look after you, your family, or your employees.
†Direct Access telephone services are available as long as the symptoms are covered under the policy. If your cover excludes conditions you had before your policy started, we’ll ask you to provide evidence from your GP that your symptoms are not pre-existing for a period of up to two years from policy start date (or up to five years in the case of mental health). We can then refer you to a consultant or therapist through the Direct Access service. Always call us first to check your eligibility.
Bupa health insurance is provided by Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Arranged and administered by Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851. Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London EC2R 7HZ.
