Rest assured; there are several strategies that will help you ease back into quality slumber.
We’ve all been there: it’s 3:35AM and, while you were just sleeping like a baby, a quick bathroom break has left you wide awake. Most nights you’d just roll over and go back to sleep but right now that’s not working. Maybe you’re worried about your big meeting, or making sure the kids get to school on time, or the weather, or maybe you’re not concerned about anything in particular besides getting some more rest. There’s nothing wrong with waking up in the middle of the night; in fact, for most of human history, up until the invention of electric lights, people slept in 2 blocks of roughly 4 hours each, separated by 1-3 hours of resting wakefulness. Some people are more biologically attuned to this primitive sleep schedule and, thus, more prone to waking up in the middle of the night. But that sleep anthropology lesson doesn’t help you with your big meeting. So what can you do? First, rest assured; there are several strategies that will help you ease back into quality slumber.
It’s the Middle of the Night, and You Just Woke Up
The most important thing to remember is not to overdo it. If you’ve been trying to go back to sleep for more than 15 minutes, it’s better to hop back out of bed. Laying around for too long can promote the kind of thinking that, eventually, can lead to insomnia. You’ll want to engage in an activity that makes you sleepy, ideally something you normally do before bed. Before you get started, though, banish the things, like clocks, computers and phones, that remind you of work and being awake. You can also quickly survey your bedroom. Are there any sources of light you can eliminate? Are you warm? Is it “too quiet?” Remember that a dark, cool bedroom with some kind of white noise, like a fan or running water, is ideal for promoting sleepiness. Did you wake up thinking about something in particular? Write it down, plan to read it in the morning and, if you want, convert these notes into an ongoing sleep journal. Don’t turn on anything with a screen, instead try engaging in an analog hobby like drawing, puzzles or reading for pleasure until you feel sleepy again.
Set Yourself Up for Successful Sleep
If you’re concerned that waking up at night may become a problem for you, set some time aside to ponder your sleep habits. It’s helpful to follow a 30-60 minute pre-sleep routine that conditions your mind and body to anticipate sleep. Identify things that make you sleepy and try to only do these things when getting ready to go to sleep. Once you’ve established these habits, your pre-sleep routine can help you get back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night. Consider your bed as well; after all, you spend about a third of your life there. Most people don’t realize how uncomfortable their old mattress had become until they invested in a new one. Try to replace your mattress at least as often as you replace your car, it’ll pay for itself by reducing the time it takes you to fall asleep and by giving you extra energy for your day.
Give Deep Sleep a Deep Think
Now take another step back and consider how your day is affecting your night. Are you eating a large meal within 2 hours of going to bed? There are about half a billion neurons in your gut, firing them all up can make it more difficult to sleep. Ideally, you want to be a tiny bit hungry before you go to bed. Think about stress as well. If your daytime concerns are intruding on your sleep, you’ll be less able to deal with them effectively. The things you do during the day should be dealt with during the day, reserve your nights for the rest and recovery you need. Meditation and mindfulness practices can help you separate these 2 distinct areas of your life, preventing the overlap that harms healthy sleep. If you’re strapped for time, it’s better to prioritize sleep over exercise in the short term. You’ll sleep best, though, if you make a habit of regular exercise. Using energy promotes sleep; the more you use, the sleepier you’ll be at the end of the day.
If these strategies don’t help, or if you find yourself waking up on a more frequent basis, you may be struggling with a sleep condition. Don’t ignore it! Consider speaking with your physician or a sleep specialist to find out if you may at risk.