the facts:

tips for a healthy headspace

get enough
sleep

Getting the right So how much is enough?

amount of quality
sleep can give you If you’re aged between 12-17 then 8 to 10 hours sleep is ideal, and 18-25
year olds should try to get 7 to 9 hours. Keep in mind that different people
more energy, improve need slightly different amounts of sleep.
concentration, make You might not know how much sleep you get, so it can be a good idea to
you less likely to crave record it in a sleep app or journal and notice whether your sleep impacts
snacks that aren’t things like your mood and energy levels, or anything else you might notice.

nutritious, and you

guessed it, keep a
healthy headspace.

If you’re having a tough time,

sleeping can be one of the first
things that’s affected.
Have you noticed when you get
good quality sleep it’s often easier
to manage your emotions? This
can help you deal with any stress,
including relationships, and work 10p
m
and study difficulties. It can also
help reduce the risk of mental
health challenges in the future.

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Why it might be difficult to

get a good night’s sleep?
We all experience poor sleep from time to time – exams,
job interviews, work stress, relationship concerns can keep
us up worrying.
It’s common to find it hard to get good quality sleep.
It can be impacted by many things like the food you eat,
using alcohol or other drugs, feeling worried or anxious,
and even using your screen before bed.
The good news is there are things you can do to help you
get those quality zzz’s.
So how can we get better sleep?
Changing habits can be hard, ‹ At least an hour before bed, turn off ‹ Avoid caffeine at least six hours before
be kind to yourself while you’re games, YouTube, social media and any you go to bed.
trying new things. You don’t notifications. Try a movie, book or watch ‹ Limit the use of alcohol and other drugs.
have to do everything at once, TV instead (not in the bedroom though!).
‹ If you can, avoid napping during the day.
set yourself a small goal, choose ‹ Use the blue light filter on your phone
something that’s easier for you to ‹ Leave your devices outside your bedroom.
and lower the brightness at night.
do, then add other things in later.
‹ If you find it hard to wind down,
Achieving your goals can help
try a mindfulness exercise;
build your confidence.
you might try a mindfulness app.
‹ Try to sleep the same amount every
night. An extra hour, every now and
then, is fine – any more can confuse
your body clock. Falling asleep one
hour earlier is better than sleeping
in one hour later.
‹ If you need to get up during the night,
try to avoid turning on bright lights
and hop back into bed quickly.

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Healthy habits Gettin

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suppo
When you’re feeling low or rt
stressed, it’s important to put
healthy habits in place to give
yourself a better chance of coping There are lots of ways to
with life’s challenges. look after your headspace.
Sleeping well is an important healthy Check out the headspace
habit, but it’s not the only one. website for tips on how to
Things like staying active, eating well, look after your mental health.
doing things every day and spending If you’ve tried some of these
time on your relationships are also strategies for some time without
important for good mental health. improving despite your efforts, it’s
time to reach out to a trusted friend,
family member, Elder, teacher,
counsellor, or a health service.

If you or someone you know is going through a If you need immediate

tough time you can get help and support from assistance call 000 or to speak
headspace, your school, TAFE or university to someone urgently, please
wellbeing service or your local health provider. call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or
For more information, to find your nearest Suicide Call Back Service
headspace centre, or for online and telephone on 1300 659 467.
support, visit headspace.org.au

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation

is funded by the Australian Government.

The headspace Clinical Reference Group have approved this clinical resource. Fact sheets are for general information only. They are not intended to be and should not be relied on as a substitute
for specific medical or health advice. While every effort is taken to ensure the information is accurate, headspace makes no representations and gives no warranties that this information is correct,
current, complete, reliable or suitable for any purpose. We disclaim all responsibility and liability for any direct or indirect loss, damage, cost or expense whatsoever in the use of or reliance upon
this information. 03 October 2022