If you’re no stranger to waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble drifting off to sleep again, you’re certainly not alone. Here’s how to get back to sleep.
For many, waking up in the middle of the night is no strange occurrence. However, while some people can fall back asleep with ease, others struggle with nighttime wakefulness regularly.
The reality is we all wake up every single night, some of us are just better at waking slightly, tossing about to find a more comfortable position, and drifting back to sleep. The rest of us often find ourselves far too wide awake for that.
The reasons behind sudden awakenings in the middle of the night vary and include nuisances such as a snoring partner, a loud noise, a restless pet, or even something more serious, like sleep-maintenance insomnia (SMI) or sleep apnea.
If you’ve recently begun to experience a frequent inability to get enough restful sleep and the issue persists for more than three weeks, consult your doctor. Several conditions can cause such symptoms, and they might need proper treatment.
But if it’s not a sudden change and there are no underlying health issues, you should dig into these tips to help get back to sleep faster.
Just Breathe
Those who are not familiar with meditation and yoga tend to underestimate the power of deep, controlled breathing. It raises your blood oxygen levels and helps calm your body. Practicing deep conscious breathing is an excellent way to slow down your heartbeat when you’re feeling stressed out or nervous and can even help you feel more in control over your emotions.
If you awake startled by a noise or a dream, it’s a perfect time to self-soothe with deep breathing. If you find yourself in that situation, take a slow deep breath in through the nose as you count to three, and slowly breathe out through the mouth as you count to three once again. The counting prevents you from taking shallow breaths and keeps your mind focused on the action rather than on what just happened. If you want to go the extra mile here, try to breathe in deeply enough that it feels like your stomach is expanding—this ensures you’re filling your lungs.
Visualize and Relax
A recommendation supported by the National Sleep Foundation for falling back asleep in the middle of the night is relaxation via guided imagery. This technique consists in focusing on mental images of a place or a memory that makes you feel content and calm—be it your favorite beach, a special moment you shared with a loved one or the lyrics to a song. Imagine every sensory detail related to that thought, such as the smell, the sound, the way it felt on your skin, the way it made you feel. Your mind will focus on all that information and incite the same feeling of relaxation that will eventually put you to sleep.
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Source : How to Get Back to Sleep in the Middle of the Night
