Resteady
Before you start: who should be careful
Most adults can do these exercises safely, but not everyone. Here is who should be careful, what to do instead, and where to read more.
What this page is
Resteady teaches self-help skills for everyday stress, sleep and performing under pressure. It is not medical care, and it cannot know what is safe for your body.
Review of our pages by qualified clinicians is in progress. Until a page names a reviewer, read it as carefully checked general information, not as clinical advice. Each page shows its review status; see How we review. Resteady is for adults aged 18 and over.
How to use it
Every article, tool and research post has a “Who should be careful” box near the top. Each item in it links to a section below, with a fuller explanation and what to do instead. If one applies to you, skip that exercise or check with your doctor first. Using an exercise is always your choice, and you can stop at any time.
Heart or lung conditions
Some exercises ask you to hold your breath, breathe faster than usual or push the breath out hard. With a heart condition, asthma or another breathing problem, these can bring on breathlessness, dizziness or chest tightness. Slow breathing with a gentle, longer out-breath is usually the safer choice, but your own doctor knows your situation best.
What to do instead
Skip breath holds and fast breathing. Breathe easily and let each out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath, with no holds. Stop if you feel dizzy, faint or short of breath. Chest pain, or breathlessness that does not ease when you stop, needs urgent medical help. If you are unsure, ask your doctor first.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Pregnancy
Breath holds, very fast breathing and cutting down your time in bed on purpose are not advised without a word from your midwife or doctor. Sleep needs change in pregnancy, and some tools here assume a typical adult pattern. Easy, slow breathing and grounding are usually fine, but your own midwife or doctor has the final say.
What to do instead
Skip breath holds and the sleep-window calculator. Breathe slowly and easily, rest when you need to, and take any worries about sleep or anxiety to your midwife or doctor.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Epilepsy
For many people with epilepsy, too little sleep is a seizure trigger, and fast breathing (hyperventilation) can bring on a seizure in some. Tools that shorten your time in bed on purpose, or ask for fast breathing, may not be safe for you.
What to do instead
Do not restrict your sleep, and skip fast breathing. Keep regular sleep times and follow the plan from your epilepsy team. Ask them before you use the sleep-window calculator.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Bipolar conditions
For people with bipolar conditions, sleeping less on purpose can bring on a high or low mood episode, and a few short nights can be enough. A sleep window that cuts your time in bed is not a safe self-help tool without your clinician. Keeping regular sleep and wake times is often part of staying well.
What to do instead
Do not shorten your time in bed. Keep fixed sleep and wake times, and talk to the clinician who supports you before changing your sleep routine. You can try gentle breathing or grounding if they feel comfortable, and stop at any time.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Sleep apnoea, or signs of it
Loud snoring, pauses in breathing at night, waking up gasping and heavy sleepiness in the day can be signs of sleep apnoea. It needs a proper medical check. Until then, cutting your time in bed can make daytime sleepiness worse.
What to do instead
See your doctor before you use the sleep-window calculator or any plan that shortens your time in bed. Do not drive or operate machinery while drowsy.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Drowsy driving and safety-critical work
A sleep window cuts your time in bed on purpose, which can leave you sleepier during the day, especially in the first weeks. Drowsiness slows your reactions and can cause microsleeps. That is dangerous behind the wheel, around machinery, at heights and in on-call work.
What to do instead
If you drive for work, do shift work or have a safety-critical job, do not shorten your time in bed. Never drive when drowsy: stop somewhere safe and rest. If sleepiness is a problem, see a doctor.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Trauma and strong reactions
For some people, closing the eyes, focusing on the body or the breath, or relaxing can bring back difficult memories or sensations, or cause panic or a feeling of unreality. This can happen even with a calming exercise. If you have lived through something traumatic, you are the best judge of what feels safe.
What to do instead
Keep your eyes open and look around the room, and prefer exercises that point attention outward, such as 5-4-3-2-1 grounding. Stop whenever you want. If memories or reactions are strong or frequent, a trained trauma-informed professional can support you.
Read more (external sites, in English)
New, strong or unexplained physical signs
Chest pain, a racing or irregular heartbeat, fainting, severe shortness of breath, or physical sensations that are new or different from usual can have medical causes. They should not be put down to anxiety without a check. Self-help exercises cannot tell you what is going on.
What to do instead
Get medical advice first. For chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting, call your local emergency number. Once a doctor has ruled out other causes, calming exercises are easier to use with confidence.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Medicines, alcohol and other substances
Alcohol, cannabis, sleeping pills and some other medicines affect sleep, mood, breathing and alertness. They can change how an exercise feels and how drowsy you are afterwards. We do not give advice on medicines, doses or supplements.
What to do instead
Do not change or stop a prescribed medicine because of anything you read here. If you rely on alcohol, other substances or sleeping pills to cope or to sleep, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Crisis, self-harm or thoughts of ending your life
These pages are not made for a crisis, and an exercise cannot keep you safe. If you are thinking of harming yourself or ending your life, or you are in danger, you deserve a person right now, not an article.
What to do instead
Call your local emergency number (112, 999 or 911) or a crisis line from the Get help page, or contact someone you trust. If your country is not listed, findahelpline.com can find a free line near you.
Read more (external sites, in English)
Difficulties that last or get worse
These tools can help with everyday stress, but they are not enough when anxiety, low mood or poor sleep last for weeks, get worse, or get in the way of work, study or relationships. That is a sign to ask for help, not a sign that you are doing something wrong.
What to do instead
See your doctor or a licensed mental health professional. You can keep using the exercises alongside support if your clinician agrees.