How to fall back asleep after waking in the middle of the night

Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep can be frustrating. You may feel wide awake, with thoughts racing through your mind, making it hard to drift back to sleep. 

Luckily, there are simple strategies you can try to calm your mind and body, making it easier to get the restful sleep you need.

Here are some tips to help you fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night.

1. Stay calm and relax

When you wake up in the middle of the night, it's easy to feel anxious about not being able to fall back asleep.

Instead of stressing, take a deep breath and remind yourself that it's normal to wake up during the night. Stressing about sleep will only make it harder to relax. Try practising deep breathing exercises to calm your mind. Breathe in slowly through your nose, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth. This technique can help reduce anxiety and prepare your body to fall back asleep.

2. Avoid checking the time

One common mistake people make is looking at the clock as soon as they wake up. Seeing the time can make you anxious about how much sleep you're losing, which can make it even harder to fall back asleep. Instead, avoid looking at your phone or clock and focus on relaxing. This will help keep your mind at ease, making it easier for you to drift back into sleep.

3. Keep your environment sleep-friendly

A comfortable and quiet environment is crucial for good sleep. If you wake up and find your room too bright, noisy, or uncomfortable, make changes to make it more sleep-friendly. Consider using blackout curtains to keep the room dark and a white noise machine to block out any distracting sounds. Keeping your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark can help create the right conditions for falling back asleep quickly.

4. Try a relaxing activity

If you find that you can't fall back asleep after 20 minutes, it might help to get out of bed and do a relaxing activity. Avoid activities that involve screens or bright lights, such as watching TV or scrolling on your phone, as these can stimulate your brain and make it harder to sleep.

Instead, try reading a book, listening to calming music, or doing some light stretching. Choose something soothing that can help you feel sleepy again.

5. Limit stimulants before bed

To reduce the chances of waking up in the middle of the night, avoid stimulants like caffeine and nicotine in the hours leading up to bedtime. These can interfere with your sleep cycle and make it harder to stay asleep. Also, be mindful of alcohol, which can disrupt your sleep later in the night, even if it makes you feel sleepy initially.

ALSO READ: 10 things to do at night when you suffer from insomnia

This content was created with the help of an AI model and verified by the writer.