Sleep guides for calmer nights

How to sleep better after daylight saving time ends

A gentle day-by-day plan for the week the clocks go back, what to do on the night itself, and how to stop waking an hour early.

Why a sleep timer that fades out beats one that just stops

Why a sudden stop can wake you, six sleep timer myths, and how long to set yours so the fade happens once you're asleep.

Breathing exercises to help you fall asleep

Four slow breathing patterns, step by step: a longer out-breath, box breathing, 4-7-8 and a slow sigh, plus which to try tonight and what to do if it backfires.

White, pink and brown noise: which one helps you sleep?

What each noise colour actually sounds like, what research does and doesn't say about sleep, and an easy way to pick one for your bedroom.

Sounds to help you fall asleep: how to find the right one

Rain, water, fire, hums, noise, music or a story. How to match the sound to whatever is keeping you up, and how to use it well.

Bedtime stories for adults: why they work

Why a slow, gentle story helps a busy grown-up mind let go, what makes a good sleep story, and how to drift off before the end.

How to fall back asleep at 3am

What to do in the first few minutes after you wake, easy ways to quiet a busy mind, and when it's worth seeing a doctor.

Rain sounds for sleep: why they work and how to use them

Why rain helps so many people settle, which kind suits your bedroom, how loud to play it, and how to make it part of your night.

A bedtime routine for adults that actually winds you down

A short evening plan you'll actually keep: what to do in the hours before bed, what to leave out, and how to make it stick.

Should you play sleep sounds all night or use a timer?

The case for playing sound until morning, the case for a timer, how long to set one, and what to do if the sound stopping wakes you.

Caribbean bedtime stories: an introduction to Caribbean Nights

Slow, warm stories for grown-ups, written in Jamaica: verandas after rain, fishing boats at Treasure Beach, coffee in the Blue Mountains, and where to start.

Which sleep sound suits you?

Seven quick questions about your room and your nights. Get a sound to try tonight: white, pink or brown noise, rain, a fire or a bedtime story.

Open the free noise player

Try white, pink and brown noise side by side. It's made live in your browser, with a volume slider and a sleep timer that fades out.