Waking in the night is normal. We all surface briefly between sleep cycles, usually without remembering it. The trouble starts when we wake fully and start thinking.
Do
- Keep your eyes closed and the lights off. Light is the strongest “wake up” signal there is.
- Breathe with a long exhale. In for 4, out for 8. Count the out-breaths from one to ten, then start again.
- Get up if it’s been about 20 minutes. Sit somewhere dim and do something dull until you feel sleepy, then go back to bed. This teaches your brain that bed is for sleeping, not lying awake.
Don’t
- Check the time. Doing the maths on how much sleep you have left wakes you right up.
- Pick up your phone. Even a quick look brings light, news and messages.
- Try hard to sleep. Sleep comes when you stop chasing it. Aim to rest instead.
If you’re waking most nights for more than a few weeks, talk to your doctor. It’s common and very treatable.
Discussion (1)
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Not checking the time has been a game changer. I had no idea how much it was waking me up.