Help unpaid carers to sleep soundly.

Ensuring we get a good amount of sleep is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. Monday 23 -Sunday 29 October is 'Making Space Good Sleep Week'.

The week will focus on unpaid carers and raise money and awareness around the issues they face concerning sleep deprivation and sleep poverty, all culminating with an extra hour in bed as the clocks go back.

Sleep deprivation can lead to us having trouble making decisions, solving problems and controlling emotions and behaviour. It can see an individual experience increases in negative moods like anger and sadness and decreases in positive moods.

Unpaid carers experience a variety of issues that can affect their sleep including physical factors such as the noises, movements and needs of the people they are looking after. Emotional factors including the ‘need’ to stay up for an extra hour or two, just to get some time to themselves, and psychological factors such as how hard it can be to wind down and switch off.

Additionally, sleep poverty has become an emerging issue for unpaid carers during the cost of living crisis. Many people now don’t have a bed, mattress or bedding in order to have a good night’s sleep.

“There is a real gap in where to access funding for things like this. Carers often tell us that buying a new mattress or a second bed, if they can no longer share a room with their loved one, are massive expenses that just can’t take priority.” Lydia Woodall, Making Space Service Manager

An unpaid carer that is deprived of sleep is not going to be able to function to a level that is safe or beneficial for the person they care for. Plus, the stress of worrying about finding money to buy a mattress or bed will have a hugely negative effect on their wellbeing.

So, we think it’s time to do what we can to reduce the impacts of sleep deprivation and sleep poverty on unpaid carers.

Your donation could help us fund mattresses and beds or relaxation and better sleep sessions for unpaid carers and the people they care for. Please donate today by clicking 'DONATE' now or use the text codes below. Thank you for your support.

To donate £3, text SLEEP23 to 70331

To donate £5, text SLEEP23 to 70970

To donate £10, text SLEEP23 to 70191

If you would like to run a fundraiser as part of Good Sleep Week then please add your page below. Scroll down to 'Fundraising Pages' and click on the blue 'Add Page' button.