Getting back to sleep is the most important thing you can do, whether it be before or after a good night’s rest. The path to getting better includes taking your time and being patient. It also requires understanding what actually helps with falling asleep faster.
“How to go back to sleep” is a blog post that discusses how one person was able to get back to sleep after being woken up by their children. The article also includes helpful tips on how you can get back to sleep if you’re having trouble doing so. Read more in detail here: how to go back to sleep.
For years, I struggled with sleep problems. The 5-step method that ultimately got me to sleep is outlined below (and stay asleep).
Are you, like me, a member of the 3am Club?
I truly wish there was dancing and alcohol involved.
This club, on the other hand, is about looking at the ceiling and scrolling through regrets, injustices, and other little concerns while the rest of the world is fast asleep.
Does this ring a bell?
Completely. Awake. Wide.
Many individuals get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, change their pillow to the cooler side, or get a drink of water. Then go back to sleep.
I’m not one of them. The cycle was usually the same around 3 a.m.: I awakened with an uneasy idea, one that had been brewing in my brain for quite some time.
I felt warm and shot through with adrenaline. I was Completely. Awake. Wide.
And I remained like way for 3-4 hours, until I eventually fell asleep again–just as the rest of the world was waking up and I had to get ready for the day.
Then things got a whole lot worse. Those 3 a.m. wake-ups became more often, shifting to 2 a.m. and even 1 a.m.
Sleep deprivation’s dangers
If you have sleep problems, you know what occurs when you don’t get enough sleep.
You feel like an irritated nerve, ready to erupt in tears, frustration, or wrath (or all three) at the least insult. You have a hazy head. And you’re craving all things carbohydrate-heavy and sweet.
Worse, prolonged sleep deprivation is harmful to our physical health over time. It may impair the immune system and raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Where did I look for assistance?
In my attempt to find a solution to my sleep problems, I sought assistance from a variety of sources.
My doctor told me it was most likely perimenopause (which may continue up to eight years!).
My primary care physician recommended sleeping medicine, but it made me feel as if the room was spinning.
My therapist taught me how to deal with midnight anxiety and alter my mental story.
Then I went to a nearby psychiatric office and spoke with a nurse practitioner. She questioned me for an hour about my sleep problems, anxiousness, and how it was hurting my life.
I sobbed in the midst of the tele-health session because I felt so seen. Someone had finally realized how difficult it was. “Our first objective is to make sure you get enough sleep,” she said.
My comfortable sleeping environment
For my sleeping environment, I’d previously settled on a few non-negotiables:
- The National Sleep Foundation recommends a temperature of 65 degrees at night.
- There should be no television in the bedroom, and no programs with severe or upsetting imagery should be seen before night.
- Meal that is nourishing and filling: If I have a light dinner, I may wake up at 3 a.m. with low blood sugar.
- Consistent bedtimes and wake-up times: On weekends, I may catch an extra hour or two, but otherwise, I stick to my routine.
- We upgraded to a king-sized bed and put one additional blanket to my side. Both of these factors had a significant impact. (The splurge sheets, as well as a more budget-friendly pair we enjoy, are included in my Holiday Gift Guide.)
- Limiting naps: If I have a horrible night’s sleep, I forgo sleeping the next day (or limit myself to a fast 5-10-minute power nap) and attempt to reset the next night.
My new sleep pattern consists of five steps.
I developed a new nightly pattern using a mix of medicine and habit changes that has regularly helped me sleep through the night for many months. This regimen is certainly not for everyone, but I wanted to share it in case you may benefit from it in some way. (And I do everything in this identical sequence every night.)
1. Meditation: I’ve always stated, “I’d want to learn how to meditate,” but I’ve never followed through. In 2020, I received a free Calm app membership via my credit card and began implementing a short minute of meditation into my night routine, which is the only time of day that is calm and free of distractions.
Calm includes a lot of options, including long nighttime meditations that you can fall asleep to and middle-of-the-night sessions that will help you go back to sleep. They also provide workshops on issues such as thinking, job, headaches and migraines, and grief.
I conduct a 10-minute meditation to shut certain tabs in my head and calm and relax myself.
2. No talking after meditation: I’m quite serious about being in a zen zone after my meditation. If my spouse says anything more than “Good night!” at this point, I half-jokingly urge him, “Don’t activate my brain!”
Because if we start chatting about the kids, our plans for tomorrow, or the broken faucet, my mind will fly into overdrive with practicalities, concerns, and to-do lists.
3. Anxiety medication: I’ve always been a worrier, but it wasn’t until lately that I recognized my constant worrying was truly anxiety–and that it was worsening as I grew older. I came to the conclusion that it was not something I could manage on my own.
Working with the nurse practitioner, I was able to find a medication that relieved my anxiety during the day and helped me sleep at night, all while avoiding the side effects of other medications.
4. Melatonin: My 3 a.m. wake-ups returned after many months on the medicine. So I started taking melatonin. I discovered that our natural levels of melatonin decrease as we get older, which might explain why so many elderly individuals have trouble sleeping. My nurse practitioner gave her approval for me to take it every night.
A buddy suggested a 6-hour slow-release melatonin since my issue wasn’t falling asleep but staying asleep, and it’s been really successful in getting me over the middle-of-the-night wake-up window. I can now go back asleep if I wake up at 3 a.m. to take a drink of water, which is a tiny miracle.
This is the product I use (it’s not sponsored; I’m simply passing it along in case it can benefit you, too): Melatonin Melatonin Melatonin Melatonin Melatonin Melatonin Melatonin Melaton
5. Quiet Reading on My Kindle: I used to be a die-hard library book lover, but now I can’t imagine life without my Kindle. When my spouse is ready for lights-out but I am not, it’s like having a dim reading light and a book in one, and I don’t have to fuss with a clip-on bulb.
I read on my Kindle until my eyes can’t stay open any longer, then put it down, turn over, and fall asleep. Finally, it all seems like a dream.
I’m a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program that allows me to make money by connecting to Amazon.com and other related websites.
“How to go back to sleep when stressed” is a question that many people have been asking. I was able to get back to sleep by doing the following:
1. Turn off any screens and devices with blue light, such as your phone or computer screen.
2. Drink lots of water, try not to drink coffee before bedtime.
3. Take a bath or shower before bedtime.
4. Try meditation or deep breathing exercises in order to relax your body and mind. Reference: how to go back to sleep when stressed.
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