There are a couple of reasons why you experience sleep interruptions including stress, anxiety, nightmares and other more complex problems like insomnia.
So what do you do when you find yourself wide awake before it's time to wake up?
Try any one of these tips to get back to slumber land:
Try and get comfortableYou might be up because your body is feeling uncomfortable. Adjusting your environment and sleeping position might do the trick.
Check whether your pillow is positioned properly and if you’re feeling too hot, get rid of any extra layer of clothes or beddings that might be causing you to heat up.
Then, find a comfortable sleeping position that will make you feel more relaxed. These few changes can help you fall asleep within a short time.
Don’t switch on the lightsTurning on the nights isn’t such a great idea if your goal is to fall asleep again. This will actually tell your body that it’s time to wake up and by the time you start to doze off again, your alarm clock will already be ringing.
Try as much as you can to stay away from bright lights including your phone. This will keep your melatonin levels high which is what you need to fall asleep.
Don’t check the timeChecking the time will also make things worse for you. There is definitely a curiosity about the time but you should resist the urge to look.
The main reason is, that you will end up panicking. If you look and notice that you only have two hours to go before you have to wake up, you will put unnecessary pressure on yourself to fall asleep quickly.
You will start feeling anxious and end up being awake longer than you wanted to which is exactly why you should never rush to check the time.
Listen to something relaxingIt might be a good idea to listen to something like a relaxing podcast, a sermon or nature sounds.
It’s not advisable to start scrolling your phone and prolonging your exposure to blue light so this is a much better option.
You can dim the lights on your screen and quickly select what you need to listen to then put your phone away.
Also, remember not to place your phone right next to you. Maintain some distance and let what you have chosen to listen to play on it loudspeaker at low volume. Do not use earphones.
Try breathing techniquesThis will also help you especially when you’re feeling anxious or stressed about something. Breathing calmly helps you to take the tension away which is what you need to fall asleep quickly.
You can try the famous 4, 7, 8 technique or any other relaxing technique that you’re comfortable with.