Written by Ana Gascon Ivey | Reviewed by Katie E. Golden, MD
Key takeaways:
Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, you may have insomnia.
If you awaken and are unable to drift off after 10 to 15 minutes, you should get up and do something soothing like meditating, deep breathing, or journaling.
Avoid looking at your phone or turning on the TV. The blue light might make it harder to get more shuteye.
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Waking up in the middle of the night can be frustrating. If you can get back to snoozing quickly, it might not be so bad. But for people who can’t get back to sleep, it can be a nightmare.
Close to 20% of Americans have trouble sleeping through the night, a symptom of insomnia. These middle-of-the-night awakenings can affect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and daytime productivity.
There are things you can do to ease your way back to sleep. And there are things you shouldn’t do, too.
How can you get yourself to fall back asleep when you wake up at night?
Ever feel like you’ll try anything to get back to sleep? These strategies may help. Just make sure you get out of bed to do these. You only want to use your bed for sleep and sex.
Relaxation therapy
Meditation along with deep breathing exercises may calm your mind enough to ease you back to sleep.
“Meditation or relaxation exercises may help, especially if someone is used to engaging in those practices,” Ann Rogers, PhD, an Emory University professor and sleep expert, tells GoodRx Health. “Research isn’t particularly strong, but those activities are harmless and may help.”
Relaxation exercises include:
Progressive muscle relaxation: Tensing and relaxing muscle groups one by one for 10 to 20 seconds at a time.
4-7-8 breathing: To do this exercise, take a slow, deep breath in for four counts, hold it for seven counts, and exhale for eight counts.
Body scans: Body scans ask you to relax and spend time observing sensations for each of your body parts.
Quiet activities
Try getting out of bed and do something soothing or dull until you get sleepy again. A few ideas include:
Reading a boring book
Listening to soft music
Playing solitaire
Working on a jigsaw puzzle
Doing a word search or crossword puzzle
Journaling
Journaling has many mental health benefits like lowering stress and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Try different types of journaling to see which one helps you with sleep.
Journaling themes include:
Gratitude: Jot down the names of people and things you’re thankful for.
Worry: Put anything that’s stressing you out down on paper. Then, let it go.
Prayer: Compose a prayer or a word of affirmation for yourself or a loved one.
To-do list: Write down tasks so you won’t worry about forgetting them.
Sketch: Draw simple objects like flowers or seashells.
Temperature setting
If you wake up feeling warm or sweaty, check your bedroom temperature. Between 60°F to 67°F degrees is ideal for your body to feel cool enough for slumber.
Visualization
Picture yourself in a serene place like sitting on a beach with tranquil ocean waves or in a garden surrounded by flowers. Think about how relaxed you feel in these environments. Try to imagine your calming place with as many senses as possible, including what you see, hear, feel, and smell.
Autogenic training exercises
Autogenic training is a relaxation technique similar to a body scan (mentioned above). The difference is that it includes making statements about warmth and heaviness for your body parts.
Here’s an example of how you might do it in the middle of the night:
Sit in a comfortable chair or lay down on a yoga mat.
Close your eyes and take deep, relaxing breaths.
Space the following phrases 3 seconds apart:
My right arm is heavy.
My right arm is warm.
My left arm is heavy.
My left arm is warm.
Both of my arms are heavy.
Both of my arms are warm.
Repeat until your arms feel calm and move onto another part of the body.
Tedious chores
Do something mundane like fold laundry, organize a drawer, or brush your pet. Work on something boring or repetitive that can quiet your mind until you feel drowsy. Then, try climbing into med.
What to avoid doing if you wake up in the middle of the night
Some activities can make it harder to get back to sleep. Here’s what to avoid.
Stop looking at the clock
“Watching the clock can make it harder to fall asleep and/or stay asleep,” says Rogers. “It increases anxiety, and since most people use their phones as their alarm clock, it also exposes them to blue light at night, which can increase arousal or at least suppress melatonin production.”
Ditch the snacks
“People should not eat in the middle of the night,” says Rogers. “Awakening to eat may become habitual and contribute to weight gain.”
Steer clear of screens
“Do not look at your cell phone, turn on the TV, or play games on a tablet,” says Rogers. “The blue light from screens can interfere with falling asleep.”
Don’t toss and turn
“If you can’t fall back asleep within 10 or 15 minutes, get up and do something quiet,” says Rogers. “Staying in bed when you can’t sleep encourages an unconscious association between your bed and being unable to sleep.”
Skip the sleeping pills
“Most sleeping pills are designed to help you fall asleep, not stay asleep,” says Rogers. “If you take them in the middle of the night, you risk drowsiness when you wake up in the morning.”
Say no to a middle-of-the-nightcap
Alcohol may be sedating to some people, but it also interferes with good, deep sleep.
Resist the urge to work
Working can stimulate your mind and may wake you up. Keep in mind checking in on work emails or messages on your phone also counts as work.
Why do you wake up in the middle of the night?
There are many reasons why you may wake up and are unable to go back to sleep. Factors can include things like medical conditions, medications, or lifestyle habits.
Some of the more common reasons include:
Alcohol use before bedtime
Nicotine use
Taking beta blocker medications
Chronic asthma or bronchitis
Arthritis pain
Congestive heart failure
Mental health conditions like depression or anxiety
Stress
Fluctuations in menstrual hormones
Hot flashes
Snoring or sleep apnea
Restless leg syndrome
Daytime napping
When to talk to your healthcare provider about sleep problems
Waking up in the middle of the night can be a sign that something is wrong. Anytime you notice a consistent pattern of trouble sleeping, it’s a good idea to talk to your provider. Many mental health conditions can lead to insomnia.
And many sleep disorders can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. Rogers gives a few examples of specific red flags to look out for.
“If someone wakes up frequently at night to urinate and/or is a loud snorer, they should be evaluated by a sleep disorder specialist,” says Rogers. “Sleep apnea or sleep-related breathing problems are often associated with frequent urination at night.”
Rogers also says that people who snore loudly should be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea, particularly if they experience daytime drowsiness, have high blood pressure, or are postmenopausal.
You should also suspect a possible sleep disorder if you’re a middle-of-the-night snacker. “If someone feels that they won’t be able to get back to sleep unless they eat on a regular basis, they may need to be evaluated for night eating syndrome,” says Rogers.
The bottom line
Waking up and not being able to fall back asleep frustrates many Americans. It can make you feel grumpy and be less productive throughout the day. If you struggle with this symptom of insomnia, try meditating, journaling, or doing something tedious. Avoid doing things that can wake you up, like watching TV or checking your clock.
If these tips don’t work for you, it may be time to talk to your provider. They’ll be able to evaluate you to see if there’s something else going on.
References
Ilkevitch, A. (2020). Autogenic training. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Informedhealth.org. (2020). Insomnia: Relaxation techniques and sleeping habits. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.
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