Getting Up In The Middle Of The Night? Here’s How To Make Things Better
If you find yourself frequently waking up in the middle of the night, I understand how frustrating it can be. This is particularly troublesome when you have a hectic day ahead and rely on a good night’s sleep for its mental and physical benefits. It’s important to note that we’re not referring to someone who experiences this only once, but rather to those who wake up almost every night. So why does this happen? And how to improve your sleep?
Why Does It Happen?
Hormones: Progesterone helps you sleep better at night, so when its levels drop at different stages of the month or life it can majorly affect your sleep quality.
Blood sugar: Unstable blood sugar levels can be the reason you wake up every night, this is why diabetes patients are said to experience poorer sleep.
How To Improve Your Sleep Experience?
Make Some Lifestyle Changes
Simply, try to prevent sleep disturbances. For instance, stop consuming caffeine or alcohol late in the day as they can affect the brain by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a chemical that induces sleep and is produced in the brain while we are awake. As we remain awake, adenosine naturally accumulates in the brain. This gradual buildup of adenosine is what makes us sleepy.
Also, to ensure a good night’s sleep, it’s important to adjust your room temperature to a comfortable level. You can also create a relaxing sleep environment by dimming the lighting and lighting a soothing candle. Additionally, it’s a good idea to limit your liquid intake at a certain time and use the bathroom before going to bed.
You May Want To Write It Down
Leaving a notebook by your bedside is a helpful strategy. Have you guessed why? Yes, journaling. Journaling can be particularly useful when you find yourself struggling to fall asleep due to the stress of the day’s thoughts and emotions. By jotting down these feelings, you can experience a sense of mental relief and ease your mind. And you’ll see that many things are not as big as you initially thought. Think of it as a mental exercise to help calm your thoughts and emotions.
Just Sit Up
Yes, the solution for all the thoughts going on in your mind and making you stressed and unable to sleep can be this simple. The sleeping position makes us more vulnerable even in our thoughts and sitting up can bring back our rational mind and psychological defenses.
The One-Hour Rule
It’s essential to train yourself to avoid using your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Alternatively, it’s even better to leave your phone outside of the bedroom altogether. Scrolling down and being exposed to a screen light before bed won’t do you any favor. The blue light prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle.
Get Sleep-Ready
Creating a bedtime routine can help you improve your sleep quality. Try using a weighted sleep mask that will feel like a soft blanket to your eyes and will ensure that your space is dark enough. Downloading a meditation app is another helpful technique.
Stay Awake!
Start the day! Instead of hopelessly trying to sleep, just use your energy to jump-start your day. This is particularly true if you woke within an hour of the time that you need to be up. Because let’s admit, if you’ve been there, you know that forcing yourself to fall asleep is worse than waking up too early.
