The National Sleep Helpline

Do you struggle to fall asleep?  Do you feel tired? Do you have a child who won't sleep in their own bed?

Having a sleep issue is surprisingly common. At any given time, up to 40% of adults and 50% of children (this rises to 80% with a SEND diagnosis) have difficulties with their sleep. Yet in a recent survey, almost 60% of adults felt there was a lack of support for sleep issues. Sleep problems can leave people feeling isolated and lonely.

Our helpline is run by a team of specially trained sleep advisors. Although we cannot give medical advice, we can talk through your issues, offer you some practical strategies, and recommend services that could help.

Sleep education is empowering; you can understand why you might not be sleeping well and how that can change. We promise to listen without judgement and help you decide what next steps are right for you.

Who do we support on the helpline?

• Adults
• Parents of children 12 month and older
• Young People
• Healthcare professionals
• Shift workers

What we can help with

Our trained sleep advisors can help with lots of queries and concerns about your sleep, including:

• Struggling to fall asleep, staying asleep or waking too early
• Sleep hygiene guidelines
• Anxiety and stress at bedtime
• Children's sleep issues
• Teen sleep problems

What we can't help with

We are not medical professionals, so unfortunately, we can't advise on the following:

• Sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia and sleep walking
• Underlying medical issues
• Mental health problems
• Suicidal thoughts
• 0-12 month old sleep: please contact either Cry-sis Infant Sleep or Action for Children 

The National Sleep Helpline is not a crisis service. If you need urgent crisis support, please contact NHS 111, your own GP, Samaritans on 116 123, or go to your local A&E department if you require emergency support.

We are not open on bank holidays. 

If you'd like to talk about your sleep, you can call us at 03303 530 541 between 7pm and 9pm, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and in the in the mornings between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., Monday and Wednesday.

Is the information correct?

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