Why this matters
Prepare adaptable layers for the local climate, including waterproofing, sun protection, sturdy footwear and dry socks. Store sleep items where they remain clean and dry, and include any garments needed for dignity, faith, disability or health.
Sleep loss worsens attention, patience and decision making. Plan quiet periods, safe sleeping positions, lighting control and a rota for essential monitoring. In communal settings, consider ear protection, eye covering and personal boundaries.
Before disruption
Prepare now
- Set aside seasonally appropriate layers, footwear, gloves, hats and spare dry clothing.
- Include bedding or compact sleep equipment suitable for home, vehicle and evacuation conditions.
- Pack personal hygiene, menstrual, continence, skin-care and sensory-comfort supplies.
- Choose a few lightweight comfort items such as a book, cards, photograph, small toy or familiar drink.
- Test whether bags and clothing can be managed by the person who will use them.
When it is happening
Protect the next decision
- Replace wet clothing, protect feet and adjust layers before people become dangerously hot or cold.
- Create a sleep rota that preserves one rested decision maker while maintaining necessary safety checks.
- Keep sleeping spaces away from fuel devices, damaged structures, traffic and contaminated areas.
- Seek health advice for persistent sleep loss, temperature illness, skin breakdown or worsening conditions.
Plan for real people
Access, care and inclusion
- Plan pressure relief, positioning, temperature regulation and night-time assistance.
- Include clothing that is easy to fasten and compatible with braces, prosthetics or medical access.
- Provide privacy and culturally appropriate clothing in evacuation and shelter plans.
- Let each person choose meaningful comfort items rather than assuming what should calm them.
Mental readiness
Protect morale and clear thinking
- Make the familiar ritual possible: British tea and boiled sweets, American coffee and candy, or the household’s own equivalent.
- Keep comfort supplies modest, shelf-stable and separate from medicines and essential hydration.
- Use music, stories, humour and shared routines without pressuring distressed people to appear cheerful.
Common mistakes
What to avoid
- Treating sleep as optional until people become confused or unsafe.
- Wearing cotton or other unsuitable wet layers in cold conditions without a dry alternative.
- Packing only practical equipment and removing every source of familiarity, privacy and pleasure.
Evidence and review
Sources behind this guide
Prepare Now uses authoritative government, humanitarian and public-health material as a starting point. Source advice can be specific to a country, hazard or date, so check the current version for your location.
- Work Out What Supplies You NeedNew Zealand National Emergency Management Agency
- Emergency PackGerman Federal Office of Civil Protection
- Prepare for EmergenciesAustralian Red Cross
- Mental Health in EmergenciesWorld Health Organization
Editorial status: first staging edition. Safety-critical instructions will receive specialist and jurisdiction review before public launch.