Feeling tired is the new normal
Suffering from poor concentration, cravings, or bad coordination? These are all signs of sleep deprivation – and it’s a worldwide issue.
Globally, roughly two-thirds of adults are estimated to wake up at least once each night. In the UK, 1 in 5 adults regularly struggle with restless sleep, according to the European Journal of Public Health – placing Britain among Europe’s most sleep-deprived countries.
An independent 2025 survey commissioned by Silentnight and carried out by OnePoll asked 2,000 people in the UK about their sleeping habits. The survey revealed that 24% of respondents now consider feeling tired to be normal.
It’s not something to ignore. Poor sleep doesn’t just affect how you feel the following day – long-term sleep deprivation can lead to chronic physical and psychological issues, as well as a wide range of negative health effects.
We explore why the body needs to reset every night, with helpful insights and tips on improving sleep quality from Insomnia Clinic founder and Silentnight sleep expert Kathryn Pinkham.
Reset your mind
While you’re asleep, your brain is busy undergoing a restorative reset. The glymphatic system clears out toxins and metabolic waste, while short-term memories are filed in the neocortex. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex regulates emotional responses, helping you process the day and prepare for what’s ahead.
The brain also experiences a neurochemical reset as dopamine and serotonin activity levels significantly decrease during sleep. Brain waves slow down – until the REM stage, when activity heightens as the brain works to process memory and emotion, supporting creative thinking when we’re awake.
Kathryn offers some advice on how to calm brain stimulation before sleep to help your mind reset effectively:
• Reduce stress around bedtime by writing down your thoughts to make them feel less overwhelming.
• Instead of thinking, ‘I won’t sleep,’ remind yourself, ‘I’ll get some sleep, and I always manage to get through the day.’
• Be kind to yourself and don’t strive for perfect sleep – easing the pressure helps your body relax naturally.
Reset your body
During deep (slow-wave) sleep, your body resets and regenerates. We know that how we sleep affects the ageing process and that chronic poor sleep can harm physical health, both now and in the future.
While you sleep, your body works hard: protein synthesis triggers cellular repair, the pituitary gland produces human growth hormone (HGH) to drive muscle growth, and your immune function is boosted.
Heart rate lowers and blood pressure drops during deep sleep, giving the cardiovascular system a chance to rest. Good-quality sleep has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, while better glucose metabolism enhances energy levels. Hormones, such as melatonin are produced, and others are regulated – including cortisol, the ‘stress’ hormone.
Silentnight sleep expert Kathryn Pinkham offers this advice to help you reset your body before you drift off:
“Your body has a natural appetite for sleep, which grows stronger the longer you’re awake. When we go to bed early, wake later, nap during the day, or spend long hours in bed worrying, we can weaken this drive, making it harder to nod off when we need to. To strengthen our sleep drive, try going to bed a little later and keeping a consistent wake-up time – this will make it easier to fall asleep when your head hits the pillow.”
Reset your lifestyle
“Good sleep is a 24-hour process,” according to the Sleep Foundation – so creating the right daily habits is the secret to enjoying healthy sleep patterns.
“When we’re tired, it’s tempting to put all our focus on bedtime,” says Kathryn. “But don’t rely on sleep alone to feel rested. There are plenty of other ways to boost your energy, such as moving your body, getting enough daylight and eating well. Simple changes like these can help your nervous system rest and reduce stress – and when your days feel balanced, sleep starts to come more naturally.”
Silentnight’s national Sleep Reset campaign encourages Brits to rethink the way they approach rest, helping to remove barriers to better sleep through a three-step reset plan.
The Sleep Reset research reveals:
• 1 in 3 people (30%) wake up multiple times each night.
• The top worries keeping people awake are health concerns (34%), personal finances (28%) and relationship issues (23%).
• Around 30% lie awake regretting things they’ve said or done during the day.
• Major life moments also disrupt sleep: job interviews (30%), moving home (23%) and for 28% of women, the menopause.
Silentnight offers a range of mattresses to suit every sleeper – from the new UltraGel™ collection, designed for support and ease of movement through the night, to the Just Sleep rolled-up mattress range for comfort and convenience.