Complete Sleep & Recovery Profile
A thorough 32-question assessment of your sleep quality, sleep hygiene, daytime functioning, and recovery. Free, instant results.
About this sleep and recovery profile
The Complete Sleep and Recovery Profile assesses sleep quality, sleep architecture patterns, recovery efficiency, daytime functioning, and circadian rhythm alignment — giving a comprehensive picture of how your sleep is affecting your health, cognition, and performance. Sleep is one of the most important and most modifiable determinants of mental and physical health, yet sleep problems are among the most under-addressed health concerns.
This profile goes beyond asking 'do you sleep enough hours?' to assess sleep quality (how restorative your sleep is), sleep timing (circadian alignment), sleep initiation and maintenance (how easily you fall and stay asleep), daytime consequence (how tired and impaired you feel during the day), and sleep-related mental health factors (anxiety about sleep, hyperarousal).
Your profile may reveal patterns consistent with specific sleep disorders — including insomnia disorder, delayed sleep phase disorder, or sleep apnoea risk — that warrant further assessment. These are common, treatable conditions that are frequently undiagnosed.
The science of sleep and recovery
Sleep occurs in cycles of approximately 90 minutes, alternating between non-REM sleep (including deep slow-wave sleep) and REM sleep. Deep slow-wave sleep is most abundant in the first half of the night and is critical for physical recovery, immune function, and memory consolidation. REM sleep is most abundant in the second half of the night and is essential for emotional processing, creativity, and procedural memory.
Sleep deprivation accumulates as 'sleep debt' — a biological pressure that isn't fully repaid by a single recovery night. Chronic restriction to 6 hours per night (which many people consider adequate) produces cognitive impairment equivalent to two nights of total sleep deprivation, yet subjects consistently underestimate their own impairment. This gap between subjective perception and objective performance is one of the most important findings in sleep research.
Recovery extends beyond sleep to include active recovery practices — downtime, relaxation, physical recovery from exercise, social connection, and autonomy. Research by Sabine Sonnentag on occupational recovery shows that psychological detachment from work during off-hours predicts next-day performance, wellbeing, and reduced burnout, independent of sleep quantity.
Improving sleep and recovery
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia — superior to sleep medications in both short and long-term outcomes, with no side effects. CBT-I targets the thoughts and behaviours that maintain insomnia (including time-in-bed extension, clock-watching, and hyperarousal). Digital CBT-I programs (such as Sleepio) have evidence comparable to face-to-face delivery.
Sleep hygiene — consistent sleep-wake timing (including weekends), cool dark bedroom, no screens for an hour before bed, avoiding alcohol close to bedtime, and avoiding caffeine after noon — forms the foundation of good sleep. These changes alone often improve sleep quality significantly, particularly for mild-to-moderate sleep difficulties.
If your profile suggests sleep apnoea risk (loud snoring, witnessed apnoeas, waking unrefreshed, excessive daytime sleepiness, neck size, hypertension), discuss this with your GP. Sleep apnoea is very common and significantly underdiagnosed — particularly in women, where it presents differently than in men. A sleep study can be arranged through your GP, and CPAP treatment is highly effective and available through the PBS for diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea.
How to Interpret Your Results
| Score Range | Category | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0–24 | Poor Sleep Profile | Your comprehensive sleep profile suggests significant challenges across quality, consistency, hygiene, daytime function, and recovery. Poor sleep at this level is affecting multiple areas of your health. Speaking with a GP is worthwhile — treatable conditions such as insomnia, sleep apnoea, and anxiety are common causes. |
| 25–48 | Fair Sleep Profile | Your sleep profile has meaningful room for improvement. Several dimensions are below where they should be, which is likely affecting your energy, mood, and cognitive performance. Start with sleep hygiene changes (consistent schedule, no screens before bed) — these often have the biggest impact. |
| 49–72 | Good Sleep Profile | Your sleep is generally good but with some inconsistencies. Targeting the specific areas where you scored lowest will help you move from good to excellent sleep. Small, consistent improvements compound quickly. |
| 73–96 | Excellent Sleep Profile | Your comprehensive sleep profile is excellent across all five dimensions. Your sleep is deep, consistent, well-managed, and genuinely restorative. You are reaping the full cognitive, physical, and emotional benefits that great sleep provides. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours of sleep do I actually need?
The evidence-based range for adults is 7–9 hours, with most people functioning best at 7.5–8.5 hours. Needs vary somewhat by genetics — genuine 'short sleepers' who feel fine on 6 hours exist but are far rarer than people who simply adapt to feeling chronically tired. Children, teenagers, and young adults need more.
What's the best thing I can do for my sleep tonight?
The single most evidence-backed intervention: fix your wake time and stick to it every day — including weekends. This anchors your circadian rhythm and builds appropriate sleep pressure by the following bedtime. Avoid compensating for poor sleep by going to bed earlier; keep the same wake time.
Does alcohol help sleep?
Alcohol helps with sleep initiation (falling asleep faster) but significantly disrupts sleep architecture — particularly suppressing REM sleep and increasing arousal in the second half of the night. Net effect on sleep quality is negative. People who 'need' alcohol to sleep typically have an underlying anxiety or hyperarousal condition that's worth addressing directly.
What is sleep hygiene, and does it really work?
Sleep hygiene refers to behavioural and environmental practices that support good sleep. The evidence suggests it's necessary but usually not sufficient for established insomnia — CBT-I is required for the cognitive component. For people without established insomnia, sleep hygiene alone often produces meaningful improvement.
When should I see a doctor about my sleep?
If sleep difficulties have lasted more than three months, are causing significant daytime impairment, or are accompanied by symptoms suggestive of sleep apnoea (snoring, gasping, unrefreshing sleep, excessive tiredness), see your GP. Sleep disorders are common and treatable — untreated, they significantly impact health, safety, and quality of life.