6 tips on how to fall asleep in the middle of the night
Whether it's bad dreams or too many thoughts in your head, there are many factors that make you frightened off your well-deserved sleep in the middle of the night. If this happens more often, you should think of ways to deal with these sleep disorders. We give you 6 tips to help you fall asleep again.
1. Cool down the room
"Studies have shown that people sleep better in cooler temperatures, and waking up is often the result of overheating," says psychotherapist Denise Limongello in an interview with "Bustle." So when you wake up, should you just rip open the window? and let the rest of the night on tilt. Incidentally, temperatures between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius are optimal in the bedroom.
2. Try relaxation techniques
Focus on your body and on your breathing. This can help to relax, if you are tense. The relaxation technique you use is up to you: yoga, meditation or progressive muscle relaxation are very effective according to the US National Sleep Foundation and can help you get back to sleep.
3. Make to-do list
Granted, it's better to have all your thoughts written by the soul before falling asleep, and to have the upcoming tasks recorded for the day on a to-do list. If that is not the case, then just catch up in the night: Only then can you put an end to your circle of thought. When you write down your tasks, the stress and the worry that you have forgotten something important can be solved.
4. Approve a midnight snack
Often it's just hunger that makes you startle in the middle of the night. "If you make your dinner too early, you might be hungry again at night," Limongello explains. Thus, it could be an advantage if you eat a little later. In that case, however, you should pay close attention to what you are eating: pizza, for example, is like a stone in your stomach and it is fermenting lettuce and will not calm your stomach. Our instant tip: Approve a small midnight snack so that the stomach (and ultimately the head) can come to rest.
5. Avoid light
Those who can not sleep at night tend to turn on the light to read or do something else. Keep in mind, however, that light affects and confuses the natural rhythm of your body. Because the body interprets it as a signal to get up. Anyone who still can not do without brightness (for example, because he wants to write a to-do list) should use dimmed light or candlelight.
6. Take the pressure
"People struggling with insomnia often tell that they put themselves under pressure to fall asleep again, which can lead to growing anxiety and frustration," says Limongello. And who is afraid of sleeping, will not solve his problems? on the contrary. If you simply lie down and rest, even if you can not sleep, you will be much better rested the next morning than if you have been rolling in bed all night. Well, it does not hurt if you do not sleep one night - the body will catch up with sleep sometime anyway.
Even more help for healthy sleep can be found in the article "Sleep better."
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