What To Do If You Wake Up At Night
Insomnia can affect us at any time, not just when we go to bed. For example, sometimes we wake up in the middle of the night and fail to fall asleep again. Read on to find out what to do if you wake up at night!
Do you usually wake up in the middle of the night?
Waking up in the early hours of the day and trying to fall asleep again are exasperating experiences. We want to sleep because the alarm clock won’t ring too soon. We know that without proper rest, we will be tired all day.
There are many factors that can wake us up late at night. These include outside noises (such as the siren of a fire truck), nightmares and too high or low temperatures.
After you wake up, falling back asleep can be a real challenge. Some people try to change their sleeping position several times. Others get out of bed and take care of certain tasks on their to-do list or engage in unusual activities.
Restful sleep is essential for optimal physical and mental health. When the quality of sleep obtained is low, we risk suffering from apathy, irritability, problems with attention or memory, lethargy and more.
At the same time, performance at work and social relationships deteriorate when we do not get enough sleep.
Should we wake up too early? Yes, if this problem occurs more often than three times a week. It could be an alarm signal that we are too stressed, anxious or nervous. In the long run, the impact on our health is significant.
Get out of bed to get ready to sleep
If you do not know what to do if you wake up at night, one option is to get out of bed and get out of the bedroom. Then turn on a dim light and engage in a relaxing activity for 20-30 minutes.
After the indicated time has elapsed, go back to bed and try to fall asleep. Of course, that “relaxing activity” depends on your preferences. Some of us prefer to meditate or practice yoga, while others read, play or browse photo albums.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is not an activity that will stimulate your nervous system. Also, don’t touch coffee, alcohol or tobacco.
If you want to use your tablet or mobile phone, reduce the screen brightness as much as possible. Avoid white, green and blue lights because they inhibit the production of melatonin (the hormone that allows us to sleep).
If you choose to watch TV, it is essential to find a suitable program to be able to fall back asleep. Say no to action movies, violent news , or videos with bright lights and colors.
You may be able to fall back asleep, but wake up again. Simply repeat the steps presented above. But if you wake up 60-120 minutes before the usual time, it is best to start your day earlier.
You definitely have a long list of tasks (preparing breakfast, making a shopping list, washing clothes, cleaning rooms, etc.) that you don’t mind finishing early.
What to do if you wake up at night to recover
Even if you slept badly last night, you can’t make up for a three-hour nap. It is also impossible to change your biological clock to wake up later. Such measures only aggravate insomnia, turning it into a chronic problem.
After a night of insomnia or if you woke up too early, it is important to recover as soon as possible so that you can perform your daily tasks. Here’s what to do if you wake up at night:
1. Increase your vitamin B12 intake
If you do not get enough rest, your body will consume more B-complex vitamins, which are energy sources. If the presence of vitamin B12 in the body is insufficient, you will begin to feel tired, unwell and unable to concentrate. To restore your level, eat foods such as:
- Shells, oysters and mussels
- Fish, octopus and squid
- Livers
- Cheese
- eggs
2. Drink ginger tea
This root offers so many beneficial properties that we need to include it in our daily diet. When we wake up at night at unusual hours, our cortisol levels increase, a hormone that keeps us in a constant state of stress.
High levels of cortisol can also increase blood pressure, causing anxiety and inhibiting the action of the immune system. To counteract these negative effects, one of the best solutions available is to drink a cup of ginger tea. It is not at all difficult to prepare this drink.
ingredients
- ΒΌ teaspoon (2 g) of grated ginger
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) of honey
- 1 sachet of black tea
Instructions
- Heat the water and pour it into a cup.
- Add the tea bag and let it infuse for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sachet and add the ginger.
- Mix and sweeten with honey.
3. Avoid sugars and fats
Foods rich in carbohydrates, fats and sugars are not indicated at all. The problem is that they provide an immediate boost of energy.
You may feel that this is exactly what you need after an unsatisfactory sleep. But the effect obtained is only temporary. After a few minutes, you will feel even more tired than before.
We advise you to opt for healthy foods, grains in protein, fiber and natural fats, which will give you lasting energy. This way, your sleep problems won’t bother you for a long time!
Now that you know what to do if you wake up at night, do not hesitate to try the tips presented in this article!
