MENTAL HEALTH
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to get back to sleep in the middle of the night, you’re not the only one. Medically, not being able to get back to sleep at night is known as sleep-maintenance insomnia. And for those who suffer from it, even investing in the best pillow or spritzing the most calming sleep mist can still fail to have them dozing back off.
Causes of disturbed sleep vary, but experts believe that stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol, stress, and medication side effects, can all impact the quality of your sleep and can cause sleep-maintenance insomnia.
The good news is, having a strategy in place can give you a better chance of drifting off when you wake up in the middle of the night.
Use the 20-minute rule
If your eyes are open for any longer than 20 minutes, it’s time to take action. Leave the sleeping zone; get out of bed, make it, and walk away. Go do something that’s not too taxing, such as reading a magazine article or unloading the dishwasher. Then, return to your bed and restart your sleep ritual. You could also try some bedtime yoga or listen to sleep-guided meditations to encourage your body and mind to enter relaxation mode and prepare for sleep.
Distract yourself
When it’s 2am and you’re lying in bed wondering how to get back to sleep, it can be very tempting to keep checking your clock, but try to avoid watching the minutes tick by. Instead, try listening to an audiobook, or do some meditation or visualization. A study by the University of Oxford found that people who used imagery distraction (visualizing a peaceful setting or environment), fell asleep faster than those who did not.
Grab a notepad
Stress and anxiety are key driving factors behind poor sleep, and research by the Eastern Michigan University shows that writing can help organize thoughts and empty the mind of worries at the end of the day. You can reflect on and review them the next day. Alternatively, you could write down five things you are grateful for in the moments you’re wondering how to get back to sleep. They can be anything from wearing your favorite cozy pajamas to having a warm, safe place to rest your head.
Tweak your environment
Your body loves absolute darkness when going to sleep, and maybe you’re waking up because of light or noise disturbance. Make sure that lamps from the street aren’t shining in from outside and invest in some earplugs that will help reduce the surrounding noise in your environment.
Lower the room temperature
If you wake up feeling hot and don’t know how to get back to sleep, it’s time to lower the room temperature and make your environment more sleep-friendly! Wear wool and cashmere fabrics, as these self-regulate your body temperature. You can also pop a cold flannel on your head to help you cool down or splash some cold water on your wrists.
If your sleep problems have been going on for six to eight weeks, then it’s time to consult your doctor. Make sure to keep a sleep diary or use sleep apps to track your cycle and see if there is a pattern with your disturbed sleep.