Helping the nation
to sleep better
Monday – Thursday | 9am – 11am
Monday, Tuesday & Thursday | 7pm – 9pm
Who do I talk to if I can’t sleep?
The National Sleep Helpline can help with your sleep problems.
If you’d like to talk about your sleep, you can call us on 03303 530 541 between 9am and 11am on Mondays – Thursdays and between 7pm and 9pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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 specialist 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.
If you are looking for advice and support and the helpline isn’t open, please visit our Information and Support pages or our list of helpful organisations.
She was brilliant though and gave the magic advice needed in that short session. I didn’t need a follow up call. I honestly cannot thank your charity enough. Our bedtime is so much calmer and enjoyable and my stress levels are returning to normal levels after five very difficult years of sleep deprivation.
Still a way to go for me but feeling like a human being again. She was so kind and encouraging and gave me reassurance that I had been doing things right but that Sarah* maybe needed less sleep than we thought she did. Turns out she was spot on! Thank you so much!”
Who do we support on the helpline?
Adults
12 month upwards
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
What we can’t help with
We are not medical professionals so unfortunately can’t advise on the following:
Sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia, 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
Please note:
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.
This is a confidential service. We would only need to share what you tell us if we are worried about you, someone else or there has been a crime.
This activity has been supported by a financial grant from Idorsia Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd, a pharmaceutical company.
FAQs
Is the helpline a premium rate?
No. You will be charged at your standard network rate.
When are you open?
We are open between 7pm and 9pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and between 9am and 11am Monday to Thursday.
Is the service confidential?
How quickly do you answer?
As this is a new service, we are still finding our feet but we aim for everyone to get through to someone as soon as possible. It depends on the number of calls that we have coming through at that time.
What can I speak to you about?
You can talk to us about your (or a family members) sleeping difficulties no matter how big or small. We are not medical experts though and if we think there may signs of a sleep disorder or underlying health conditions we will signpost you to relevant organisations who can help you further. If you need medical advice, please contact your GP.
Having problems phoning?
Please send an email to helpline@thesleepcharity.org.uk
Do you have a safeguarding policy?
The Helpline Team
Brian Marshall
Amanda Bland
Adele Normington
Anna Lowe
Denise Deakin
Julie Marfleet
Nina Chitnis
Renee Learner
Sarah-Louise Waters
Sally Anysz
Helen Jones
Kate Crawshaw
Jill Greenwood
Signs of Sleep Deprivation
Just one night of interrupted sleep negatively affects mood, attention span and cognitive ability.
Teen Sleep Hub
Our new Teen Sleep Hub is aimed at teenagers who want to know more about their sleep.
How You Can Help
We couldn’t continue to offer help and support to the people we do without the generous donations from our supporters.
Stay in touch
Sign up to our mailing list to keep in touch with our latest news, events and developments as well as regular sleep advice and how you can get involved with us on our awareness campaigns. We will never share your data with anyone else.