How To Sleep Better As An Expat

Friday, 14th March 2025, marks World Sleep Day – the annual celebration of healthy sleeping patterns and an awareness day for sleep disorders.

Sleep is as essential to our health as eating, drinking, and breathing. It supports our physical recovery, mental clarity, and emotional stability. Yet, in today’s fast-paced world, achieving quality sleep has become increasingly challenging, especially for expats navigating the complexities of living abroad.

From adjusting to different time zones to coping with cultural shifts and new routines, expats face unique hurdles in maintaining good sleep hygiene. Let’s explore strategies to improve sleep and tackle the challenges head-on.

How to sleep better as an expat?

Even before the global pandemic, sleep issues were on the rise. In a 2019 global survey by Philips, only 10% of respondents said they slept “extremely well,” while 62% admitted to struggling with sleep quality. Issues such as snoring, insomnia and chronic pain were cited as getting in the way of a restful night.

Unfortunately, it seems things have only got worse. Increased stress, disrupted routines, high alcohol consumption and more screen time have all contributed to poor sleep habits.

A study by the University of Southampton in August 2020 found insomnia rates in the UK increased from 1 in 6 to 1 in 4 during the pandemic. Similarly, insomnia prevalence rose in China from 14.6% to 20% during peak lockdown.

Research also shows around 40% of people with long COVID report sleep disturbances, including insomnia, frequent waking, or unrefreshing sleep.

For expats, these issues are compounded by factors such as cultural adjustments, unfamiliar living environments, and the absence of a support network. Addressing these obstacles is key to reclaiming restorative sleep. Let’s take a look at some of the many ways to improve our sleep.

Insights from the pandemic: what we’ve learned about sleep

The pandemic shed light on the intricate link between mental health and sleep. Factors such as anxiety, isolation, and shifting work-life boundaries created a “perfect storm” for sleep problems.

One notable phenomenon was the rise in “pandemic dreams”. These vivid, stress-related dreams often led to disrupted sleep patterns and nighttime awakenings.

Although the pandemic’s peak has passed, its lessons remain relevant. By addressing stressors, building consistent routines, and prioritising mental health, we can restore healthy sleep habits.

How much sleep do I need?

We all want to sleep better. But how much sleep do we need?

Recommended sleep durations

• Babies (0-12 months): 14-17 hours
• Children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
• Teenagers (14-17 years): 8-10 hours
• Adults (18-64 years): 7-9 hours

And, while you may have heard that some people naturally have different sleep needs, these numbers are largely non-negotiable. Anything less can lead to cognitive decline, mood disturbances, and long-term health issues.

For expats managing demanding schedules or adjusting to new time zones, maintaining these recommended hours is crucial for staying physically and mentally resilient.

Practical tips for better sleep as an expat

We’ve put together some dos and don’ts on how to sleep better:

DO: Stick to a routine

Establish a consistent schedule, even when adapting to a new country. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock, promoting better sleep.

Sticking to a routine can help your body and mind develop a regular circadian rhythm. Write down a schedule that includes when to start work, take a lunch break, finish for the day, cook dinner and do any other daily essentials, like exercise. You should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Sticking to this will make it easier for your body to know when to fall asleep and when to wake up.

DON’T: Use your bed as a workspace

The brain tends to associate different spaces with different thoughts and feelings. If you’re the kind of person who flips open their laptop in bed, you may find that, over time, your brain tends to associate your comfy mattress with the emotions you feel at work – including stress, anxiety and confusion.

This is why it’s important to have separate spaces in your home for work and relaxation – and why you should make sure your bed is strictly for sleeping, not working.

DO: Prioritise physical and mental health

Look after your general well-being including regular exercise and mental health care can pay huge dividends when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.

Research has shown that exercise can help your body to produce melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone. Just make sure you’re exercising in the middle of the day, rather than right before bed, so your body has time to cool down. Mindfulness and general self-care for mental health have also been shown to improve the quality of your sleep.

DON’T: Eat right before bed

It can be tempting to reach into the refrigerator before bed for a mindless snack. But try to resist eating meals or big snacks too close to bedtime – your body will have trouble falling asleep if it is still digesting food, and worse still, you could experience heartburn or indigestion while trying to fall asleep.

Try to resist the call of the coffee machine, too. Limit the amount of caffeine you take per day, and try to limit the number of caffeinated drinks you take after lunchtime.

DON’T: Stay silent

The importance of self-care has never been greater.

So often, all it takes to relieve the tension and anxiety is to talk about your problems. Make sure you do what you can to have regular conversations. Don’t be afraid to share what’s on your mind, and ask people for advice. Their kind words and encouragement could help you to take a load off your mind.

DO: Address sleep issues early

Longer stretches of bad sleep can have a negative impact on both your physical and mental well-being. An ongoing lack of sleep has been closely associated with hypertension, heart attacks and strokes, obesity, diabetes, depression and anxiety, decreased brain function, memory loss, weakened immune system, lower fertility rates and psychiatric disorders. You should should speak to a professional as early as possible to help identify your sleep problems and find solutions to get the rest that your body needs.

DON’T: Ignore the problem

If you regularly find yourself unable to fall asleep at night, it could be a sign of something more serious. If insomnia has been affecting you for a while, it might be time to speak to a doctor. They may offer you treatments or medications, or look into whether you may have an underlying condition.

Sleep mythbusters

When it comes to getting a great night’s sleep, there is a lot of misinformation out there. We’ve addressed some popular sleep myths to help you tell fact from fiction.

Sleep myth #1

We need less sleep as we age.

Fact: Somewhat true

Between infancy and adulthood, we start to sleep much less.

A baby aged 6 months needs around 11 hours of sleep per day. As the child grows into a teenager they require around 9 hours of sleep per day. And adults require 7-9 hours of sleep per day, although the quality of sleep might decline with age.

Sleep myth #2

Sleep deprivation can’t affect my health.

Fact: False!

According to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, sleep boosts your mood and immunity, while increasing fertility and libido.

Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, has been linked to long-term mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, type 2 diabetes, increased heart rate and higher blood pressure.

When the University of Surrey’s Sleep Research Centre in the UK studied the effects of reducing sleep by just one hour, the results showed that sleep deprivation affects our genes – approximately 700 of them.

Researchers found an increase in the activity of genes that govern body processes such as inflammation, immune response and stress, and also the genes associated with diabetes and cancer risk. The reverse happened when an hour of sleep was added.

Research by the University of Zurich found that male students – aged 18 to 28 years – sleeping for 5 hours a night made riskier decisions about money than if they had slept for 8 hours. The research concluded that lack of sleep can lead to an increase in what they call risk-seeking behaviour.

Sleep myth #3

Some people need less sleep than others.

Fact: True

There is no hard and fast rule about the number of hours you should be getting, and the exact number will change according to the individual. But we should all be getting at least the minimum number of hours required for our age.

Sleep myth #4

It’s not about how many hours we get, but how many ‘cycles’.

Fact: Somewhat true

According to sleep coach Nick Littlehales, we sleep in cycles of 90 minutes. Each restorative cycle takes us down into a deep sleep, where we place the day’s memories in our long-term storage, and then up into rapid eye movement sleep (REM), where we begin to process the emotions of the day.

Five cycles is the optimum amount to enable your body to recover, so if you need to get up at 7am you should be aiming to go to sleep at 11.30pm.

Sleep myth #5

A glass of wine before bed helps you sleep.

Fact: False

Alcohol may help you fall asleep but as little as two drinks can cause less restful sleep and lead you to wake up more frequently.

Sleep myth #6

While asleep, your brain goes dormant

Fact: False

While the body rests during sleep, the brain remains active and still controls many body functions.

The US National Sleep Foundation says the brain ‘recharges’ during sleep. It also sorts and processes information from the previous day, vital for learning and memory.

Quickfire ways to get better sleep

There is still a long way left to go for the world to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, but the rules for getting a good night’s sleep will always be the same.

Here a few top tips to help you always sleep soundly:

• Sleep at regular times – your body craves routine, so don’t be tempted to lie in at the weekends, and limit naps during the day to no longer than half an hour.
• Wind down before bed – as well as the baths and warm (de-caffeinated) drinks we had as children, it’s important to calm your mind. Try creating a wind-down routine, such as journaling or light reading.
• Understand the impact of light – blue light, emitted by phones, tablets and TVs simulates daylight, which causes your body to start waking up. Avoid phones and TVs for an hour or so before bed, and seek daylight in the morning before you turn on your electronic devices.
• Build the right environment – in your bedroom, avoid gadgets, bright lights and laptops. Optimise your sleep environment with comfortable bedding, a comfortable mattress and blackout curtains. If you find it hard to sleep in the heat, consider climate control and good air conditioning.
• Keep a sleep diary – if you’re still experiencing problems, keep a journal of when you sleep well and when you don’t, taking into account factors such as diet, stress and bedtimes. This could help to identify potential sleep disruptors. If you regularly struggle to fall asleep, you may have insomnia and it’s important that you speak to your doctor.

Sleep is vital to your well-being. An international health insurance plan can provide you and your family with access to GP consultations and well-being benefits, such as health checks, to help ensure you’re in the best possible health while overseas.

Prioritise your well-being with William Russell

Knowing you have international health insurance that suits your circumstances and gives you access to the best possible care overseas can give you some much needed peace of mind. But it’s essential to check cover limits carefully, as not all global health insurance plans offer the same benefits.

At William Russell, we offer international health insurance that covers you for everything from minor injuries to long hospital stays. Speak to our award-winning customer service team today to see if our policies could be right for you.