How to Sleep All Night Without Waking Up
Waking up in the middle of the night can be seriously frustrating – but what can you do to stop it?
The way we react to waking up in the night can have a big influence on how rested we feel in the morning, and whether it becomes a repeated pattern.
For example, if you feel stressed the instant you wake, immediately worrying about how tired you'll be in the morning, it can have a big impact on your sleep.
According to sleep expert Dr Guy Meadows, the most important thing to remember is that waking up in the night is completely normal.
MORE: THIS IS HOW YOUR SLEEP CHANGES AS YOU GET OLDER
'Sleep happens in cycles which are around two hours long, and there will be micro-breaks in between each one,' he explains. 'During these breaks, the sleeping person would be able to hear you if you whispered in their ear – this is also when some people wake up for a moment in the night'.
So, if you do find yourself becoming conscious, there's no need to stress out immediately. In fact, says Dr Meadows, getting angry and frustrated will see you struggling against sleep.
'Humans are great problem solvers, but as sleep is a natural biological process, we can't control it with our minds,' says Dr Meadows.
'Getting cross about not sleeping won't help you at all; instead I encourage mindfulness, which is where you notice and accept all the thoughts running through your head, but don't get wound up by them!'
MORE: THIS IS WHY SOME OF US TALK IN OUR SLEEP
If needing the loo constantly wakes you up at night, then obviously cutting the amount you drink in the evening could help.
However, for many of us, getting up to go to the toilet in the night is more of a psychological habit than an actual physical need.
'Often, you think you need the toilet more than you actually do,' says Dr Meadows. 'If you notice a slight urge but don't act on it – in mindfulness terms, "notice and let go of the thought" – then you can help move your body out of these bad habits.'
Basically, you need to train your body out of bad habits – and that includes the compulsion to check your phone if you do wake up. The blue light omitted by the screen will send signals to your brain in the same way as daylight, making you feel more awake.
In fact, Dr Meadows describes it as a bit like holding a 'mini sun' up to your face. 'This really confuses your internal body clock, telling it that in fact it's not time for sleep,' he says.
MORE: TIPS ON HOW TO GET A BETTER SLEEP
So now we know that we need to avoid stress or looking at our phones when we wake up, what should we do instead?
Independent sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley has revealed one clever trick that is great for distracting your mind from worry.
When the anxiety sets in, what you need to do, he says, is to focus on an imaginary scenario that is unimportant but has a story, thereby diverting your attention.
'Imagine what you would do if you won the lottery, or where you would go if you suddenly got your own private jet,' he recommends. 'The important thing is that the imagined situation has a narrative, which keeps your brain focused on something other than your worries.'
And, if you have been awake for 20 minutes or more, then experts recommend getting up and doing a calming activity – such as reading – until we feel sleepy again. Just make sure it's not using blue light!
(Images: Getty)
Like this? Subscribe to the Good Housekeeping newsletter.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
How to Sleep All Night Without Waking Up
Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/health/health-advice/a567398/what-to-do-if-you-wake-up-in-the-night/