Not turning on bright lights, avoiding phone screens, trying the 4-7-8 breathing technique, or practicing progressive muscle relaxation are effective methods to help you fall back asleep when waking up in the middle of the night.
Strategies to Quickly Fall Back Asleep When Waking Up at Midnight
Sleep is a crucial factor for maintaining good health. To achieve optimal cognitive and physical performance, it’s recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night.
Various factors can lead to sleep disturbances beyond one’s living environment. Chronic pain is known to cause sleep issues, often due to pain becoming severe enough to disrupt the sleep cycle, resulting in waking up in the middle of the night. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Aging and Health also highlighted a correlation between poor sleep quality and feelings of loneliness in older adults.
If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, but it’s not due to issues like loneliness, aging, chronic pain, or illness, try the following 8 tips to help you fall back asleep:
Waking up in the middle of the night can lead to insufficient sleep, which may cause fatigue the next day.
1. Don’t Turn on Bright Lights
If you find yourself awake but unsure if you’ll fall back asleep soon, you might be tempted to turn on the lights to use the bathroom or read. However, our bodies are extremely sensitive to light exposure, especially during hours when we are expected to be asleep. Turning on bright lights can disrupt melatonin production in the body, making it harder to fall back asleep.
2. Avoid Blue Light
When we suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, it can be tempting to roll over, grab our phones, and start scrolling through the internet. However, blue light can disrupt melatonin production.
While light of any color can inhibit melatonin production, blue light is particularly potent. When the brain is exposed to bright light, the body naturally produces less melatonin. Remember, melatonin is the hormone that helps you feel sleepy, so if less melatonin is released, it will be harder to fall asleep.
Additionally, scrolling through news, social media, or, worse, emails will stimulate your brain, making it even harder to fall back asleep.
3. Try Some Breathing Techniques
The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a relaxation exercise that calms the parasympathetic nervous system. Inhale for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7, and exhale for a count of 8. Repeat at least 4 times and see if you start to feel sleepy.
4. Limit Checking the Time
Realizing that you may not fall back asleep immediately can lead you to fixate on the clock, obsessively counting each passing minute. While it may seem difficult, try your best to avoid checking the time when you wake up in the middle of the night. Constantly looking at the clock tends to increase anxiety and may lead you to calculate how much sleep you will get.
5. Do Something Boring in Low Light
Have you ever found yourself staring at the ceiling for what feels like hours? Instead of lying in bed wishing you could fall back asleep, it may be beneficial to get out of bed and try a relaxing activity, just remember to keep the lights dim.
For example, consider picking up an adult coloring book and taking out some colored pencils. This can be effective as it keeps your brain busy and distracts you from any stressful thoughts you might have.
6. Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a mindfulness exercise that can work wonders for physical tension.
Moreover, focusing on your body rather than your mind can promote greater relaxation. As you inhale, tense a group of muscles. Then, as you exhale, relax that muscle group. Try to do this exercise from head to toe, starting from your facial muscles and ending with your feet. Repeat as necessary.
7. Visualize Your Worries Disappearing
Are you worrying about a task you forgot to complete at work? Are you anxious about a conversation with your partner or stressed about an upcoming event? If so, this technique is for you.
While lying in bed, visualize the scenario that is causing you stress. Perhaps you see yourself sitting in your boss’s office or driving to a task you dread. Pay attention to the details in the scene and how your body feels. Once you’ve captured all the details and nuances, pretend you are taking an eraser and visualize erasing that image completely until you see a blank wall. Continue doing this as often as needed until you feel relaxed and sleepy.
8. Identify the Root Causes
While this last tip isn’t specifically about lulling you back to sleep, it is indeed very important. First, recall whether you’ve limited caffeine intake at least 6 hours before bed, had heavy meals or snacks, consumed alcohol, watched TV, or engaged in high-intensity exercise in the hours leading up to bedtime.
However, if you find yourself frequently experiencing sleep disturbances, it’s time to reach out to a doctor for assistance.
