The theme of this year’s World Sleep Day is ‘Make Sleep Health a Priority’, and we couldn’t agree more. If you’re one of millions of people who have trouble sleeping (a whopping 28 million Brits aren’t getting enough shut-eye), WSD is more than a gimmick, it’s a wake up (or rather sleepy) call to action, with organisers emphasising that sleep is one of the three key pillars of health, alongside a nutritious diet and exercise.  

There’s plenty we can do to ensure better kip, including booking a sleep retreat to help reset our mind and body and introduce healthy night time habits. It might sound indulgent, but when you consider lack of sleep can reduce our reaction time, alertness, ability to solve problems, memory and even life span, it’s money well spent. Here’s our choice of top slumber spas to reset your circadian rhythm and make falling asleep a dream.

Sleep & Recovery package, Shanti Maurice, Mauritius  

Why go? Jetting off to an Indian Ocean island to fix your sleep problems might seem a tad excessive (and expensive!), but this five-day programme at five-star Shanti Maurice resort is worth going long-haul for. Designed to restore your kip back to normal levels via an east-meets-west combination of medical science mixed with ancient Ayurvedic treatments, it’s seriously impressive.

What happens? Things kick-off with a wellness consultation to find out vital info about your lifestyle and diet – who knew a lack of magnesium or amino acids can affect your sleep? Or that calcium has a sedative affect that helps ease the body to sleep? Once problems have been pinpointed, it’s time to chill in the form of personalised yoga lessons, Pranayama breath work sessions, reiki and reflexology.

Other treatments in the package include Shirodhara (warm oil is poured continuously onto your third eye) and Tibetan sound massage, where singing bowls are placed on the body to create vibrational energy to remove blockages, energise charkas and rebalance the nervous system, both ancient remedies for encouraging a good night’s sleep. 

Also thrown in is a 90-minute magnesium sleep therapy sesh where you’ll find out why the mineral plays an important part in sleep regulation, how much you need daily, where it’s found (kale, spinach, nuts, seafood and whole grains are a good source) and why the correct levels help your nervous system function normally and reduce fatigue. You”ll finish each day with snooze-inducing yoga Nidra.

How much: Shanti Sleep and Recovery Programme, £961; five nights at the Shanti Maurice from £1,600pp. 

Sleep Enhancement Programme, Kamalaya, Thailand

Why go? This award-winning Thai wellness resort is big on nurturing through nature and holistic wellbeing techniques (sounds restful, right?l). The wellness getaway created the programme after treating a continuous stream of guests complaining about insomnia whilst simultaneously binging Netflix series/endlessly phone scrolling/working crazy hours (guilty!).

What happens? This is the place to check in if you’re serious about a long-term fix for insomnia. Whether you’re there for one-week or three, the goal’s the same: to discover why you’re not getting enough shut-eye and then establish healthy sleep habits for the future. There’s a whole team of experts on hand to guide you through the process, from a life enhancement mentor to a naturopath, mindfulness teacher and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. 

Throw in relaxing massages, reflexology, meditation, light-blocking eye masks and healthy vegetarian food and you’re pretty much guaranteed to start snoozing straight away. And don’t even think about doom scrolling in bed, because at Kamalaya you’re instructed to turn off electronics from 9pm onwards to stop the brain being stimulated and wind down for some (much-needed) sleep. 

How much: Five-night Sleep Enhancement Wellness Programme from £1928.

Sleep Well Retreat, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

Why go? This popular wellness retreat was created in collaboration with Bryte, the brand behind the sleep-optimizing Bryte Balance™ Smart Bed. You’ll stay in a one-bedroom apartment with a customizable Smart Bed to reset your circadian rhythm, meaning you wake each day with renewed and ready to take part in the retreat’s sleep-centred experiences and spa treatments.

What happens? The resort’s sleep therapy includes resting on a lounger with headphones and a mask, in a dimly lit, glowing room that uses electromagnetic and infrared technologies to release electromagnetic frequencies stored in the body.

Next up, a soak in a floating bath infused with 800 pounds of Epsom salts followed by a 20-minute session in a meditation pod with coloured lights and rhythmic beats. Finally, you fall asleep in your smart bed which can monitor your sleep patterns and adjust to your body.

Also part of the package is a 50-minute Pro Sleep Body Treatment by Comfort Zone, an innovative massage acting on three different sensorial pathways for profound relaxation. A Sleep Well Touchless Circuit, wellness journal and a copy of Sleep for Success! Everything You Must Know About Sleep But Are Too Tired to Ask, co-authored by sleep scientist Dr Rebecca Robbins.

How much: Four-night sleep retreat from £2753pp.

Sleep & Spa Package, The Grove, Hertfordshire

Why go? If you’re looking for a snooze getaway a little closer to home this could be the answer. The Grove recently partnered with skin and hair health brand Slip® to create a Sleep & Spa Retreat which is available to guests booking a Mansion Room and combines relaxing spa treatments with thoughtful details to help you unwind and recharge.

What happens? Central to the retreat is Bamford spa treatment the B Silent Ritual, a deeply calming therapy including Indian head massage that’s designed to ease tension and prepare the body for restful sleep.

Guests also receive a Slip® sleep mask made from the brand’s signature silky fabric, plus a £75 credit redeemable across the hotel as well as dinner at either The Stables or The Glasshouse restaurant. Every Mansion room also features a and sleep-inducing herbal tea selection and curated Sleep Menu, providing tips for a better night’s rest alongside spa treatment recommendations.

How much: Sleep and Spa Retreat packages start from £979 per room.

TIPS FOR A BETTER NIGHT’S KIP

Here are some expert tips to try at home:

• Worrying about not getting enough sleep only makes things worse – your body gets what it needs from just a few short hours, anything else is a bonus. 
• Make sure your sleep space is welcoming – dim the lights, put screens away (or cut out the blue light) and have a warm bath or shower, as the temperature drop when you get out signals to your body that it’s bedtime. 
• Set an anchor time – don’t stress about how late you go to bed, it’s all about a wake-up time. Stick to this religiously, even if you’ve been out late or want a lie-in at weekends (until you start sleeping properly again). 
• Seek out daylight as soon as you rise – open those curtains and blinds because this triggers Melatonin creation later in the day. 
• If you wake in the middle of the night, repeat the word ‘the’ every time you breathe out – this can help shut down the chatter in your head.