https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1 daily 0.75 2026-04-22 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/sleep-deprivation-are-you-ignoring-the-signs monthly 0.5 2026-04-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1776878276967-435IY73H1JR4GKZPBNGX/unsplash-image-i-ePv9Dxg7U.jpg Blog - Sleep deprivation: are you ignoring the signs? "I just thought it was normal" One of the most common things people say to me when we’re talking about sleep and daily life. People who are functioning, showing up, getting through their days. But underneath it all… they're exhausted. Not the kind of exhausted that puts you in bed for a week — the kind you learn to live with. The kind you've become so good at masking, you've almost convinced yourself it's just who you are. But here's what years of working with people on sleep has shown me: the body whispers before it screams. And when it comes to sleep, we're conditioned to ignore the whispers — until it's too late, the burnout has hit, and recovery takes far longer than it needs to. https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/why-cant-i-sleep-f888k monthly 0.5 2026-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/b4bfedc7-5fdc-495d-ba22-efba044ea3e1/tired+man+expanded.png Blog - “Why Can’t I Sleep?” The real reasons and what can help - It’s past midnight. You’re lying bed, restless, Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/category/Understanding+Insomnia monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/sleep+shift monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/sleep+deprivation monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Insomnia monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Better+sleep monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/sleep+health monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Why+can%27t+I+sleep monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Sleep+Coaching monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/CBTi monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Cognitive+Behavioural+Therapy+for+Insomnia monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/blog-1/tag/Sleep+Therapy monthly 0.5 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/about daily 0.75 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/9596dcc2-0ce0-40ce-9989-726c4f7869ea/Laura+on+chair+arms+crossed+smiling About - My Story I’m Laura, the founder of The Sleep Shift. I’m an HCPC-registered Occupational Therapist with nearly 15 years of experience working across NHS and private psychiatric services, as well as in independent practice. I now specialise in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBTi) and coaching to help people get better sleep. As an Occupational Therapist, my focus has always been on helping people live full and meaningful lives. Sleep plays a huge role in that — it can either support us or stand in our way. I understand this deeply, because I’ve struggled with sleep myself, both as a child and as an adult. I know how lonely and frustrating it can be to lie awake at night, stuck with your thoughts, dreading the day ahead. Insomnia can feel overwhelming and all-consuming. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can get better sleep. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1467b6a3-9d67-4edd-b435-2407c2f15b77/hpc_reg-logo_black.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/2df09a4e-f696-4e64-baae-883d940f1c35/RCOT_Member_RGB_0.jpg.webp https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/a91f09a3-27cc-47e3-b88a-aa486a84ce82/cropped-Drawing2.png https://thesleepshift.co.uk/contact daily 0.75 2026-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/f4eddcd3-29ed-4485-8f60-c890c31ce03d/Me+on+phone+low+res.jpg Contact - Get in touch… Ask me anything (about sleep!) https://thesleepshift.co.uk/adults daily 0.75 2026-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1624881512647-CZEMHUG5EBQVALNA7PO9/unsplash-image-wBuPCQiweuA.jpg Adults https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1625643206171-6SBMKU24DCJNJZFQVQ2D/unsplash-image-DIBwWsoshGE.jpg Adults https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1625643265840-2V41WF98K8VIYO7KQQH6/unsplash-image-O1W8NhwcGYI.jpg Adults https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1625643789697-XE2L78NTQM6HJI4PS3BJ/unsplash-image-WvZ4dTE7dLI.jpg Adults https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1641802780984-OKQGZMJ2K0C9O3UPA01B/unsplash-image-i-ePv9Dxg7U.jpg Adults https://thesleepshift.co.uk/athletes daily 0.75 2025-08-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1623894994814-T9IU2TXWY6JE7DIWVF8L/Laura+smiling+holding+SDW50+medal Athletes/Sports teams As well as putting time into my work, I am a keen trail runner and live with a very good one! I have run a few ultras and crewed many more. I understand what it takes to train hard and compete and know how much sleep is a central part of athletic performance. Sleep is considered one of the main pillars of health and performance, yet is often the pillar that is most neglected. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation is a common problem for athletes and can lead to reduced speed, accuracy, reaction times, decision making, concentration as well as increased injury risk, leading potentially to early retirement. Being an athlete goes beyond the physical performance. Athletes tend to start young and regularly experience the emotional highs and lows of the sporting environment throughout their careers. Pressures to perform, train hard around everything else in their lives and live under the scrutiny of others can take it’s toll. Their emotional wellbeing is key, yet without sufficient amounts of sleep this area of wellbeing is compromised. Poor sleep is also one indicator of overreaching or overtraining in athletes and should never be ignored. You, as an athlete, don’t need to be experiencing insomnia to get help around sleep. Learning more about your unique sleep profile and how you can use this knowledge to organise your routines for enhanced training benefits, performance and improve overall wellbeing is a simple yet highly effective process we can do together. It could be the percentage gain you’re looking for. https://thesleepshift.co.uk/talks daily 0.75 2026-02-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1754408375395-8NYNXT2H4LK4YFLR8XR1/group+of+people+with+their+hands+together+as+a+community+group https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1771337763141-BUY4Y3RT3TAOEFY46AUF/unsplash-image-3n8-FB1madg.jpg https://thesleepshift.co.uk/home daily 1.0 2026-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511387030-5LI1E5QMVTQ2RY9S00A4/20140228_Trade+151_0046+1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511440608-5BVMHVN4WR2I9YQV1WWR/Aro+Ha_0010+1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511467879-K5J9BYNACHJVDV3BNSFU/Aro+Ha_0387+1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618511743693-J3A8OYH6X8C7RXNU5K0J/20140301_Trade+151_0124+1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1754412168144-RCXICKFW3NGG3F49RYJA/unsplash-image-5U_28ojjgms.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1754412277049-IV85IA05SCJHJ6UWORC5/unsplash-image-atSaEOeE8Nk.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1754412432325-E7B9NQ2BKEDBVZJOIJZF/unsplash-image-i-ePv9Dxg7U.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/1754412464840-2JKE085Y5I5X1VYUOQW3/unsplash-image-DIBwWsoshGE.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/04bbf9a4-f664-4a08-84d2-ad5e3fe4ba92/Laura%2C+CBTi+therapist%2C+sleep+specialist%2C+occupational+therapist%2C+sat+on+an+orange+sofa+smiling https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/70ec74e5-1ddf-49b8-8353-bb634f487240/sleeping-black-woman-and-bed-with-morning-nap-in-2023-11-27-05-31-10-utc.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60a7d5c8d20de561852ff975/4cb7557d-739b-48a3-86c5-88b240d362b6/Laura+side+angle+on+chair+brown+jumper+smiling https://thesleepshift.co.uk/servicesoview daily 0.75 2025-08-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Services o/view https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Services o/view https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Services o/view https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607007355264-EQINP2XUZQO9PPNNDRZD/Aro%2BHa_0010-larger.jpg Services o/view https://thesleepshift.co.uk/privacypolicy daily 0.75 2026-01-29 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/book-appointment daily 0.75 2026-01-17 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/faq-2 daily 0.75 2026-01-29 https://thesleepshift.co.uk/new-page daily 0.75 2026-04-14