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Insomnia can appear at any time, and not just when trying to fall asleep. Sometimes you end up waking up in the middle of the night and it is very difficult to fall asleep again.
What To Do To Stop Waking Up In The Middle Of The Night?
Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall asleep again can be daunting. You want to rest, because you know that if you won’t get a good quality sleep, the next day you will look like a zombie.
Insomnia during the night may be caused by a variety of reasons: loud noise outside (eg, firemen’s siren), having a nightmare, feeling cold or hot, and so on. Once you wake up, it can be very difficult to fall asleep again. Some choose to change sleeping positions several times in bed and others to get up and do things that are pending.
Having a good quality sleep is a key to your physical and mental health. On the contrary, sleeping poorly causes apathy, irritability, memory and attention problems, drowsiness and more.
When should you care? If this happens more than three times a week, it may be a sign that you are very stressed, anxious or nervous and, of course, will eventually cause serious health problems.
Get Up To Fall Asleep Again
One technique you can implement if you keep waking up at night is to get out of bed. Leave the room, turn on a dim light and do a relaxing activity for 20 or 30 minutes. After that time, go back to bed and try to sleep. Of course, it is a personal choice what is “comforting,” for you. For some, this activity may be meditation or yoga, and for others, it may be reading, playing cards, or looking at pictures.
In any case, these should be activities that do not excite the nervous system. Moreover, at all cost avoid drinking coffee, alcohol or smoke. If you want to use your tablet or cell phone, it’s best to reduce the contrast and screen light as much as possible and avoid the white, green, and blue lights that inhibit the production of melatonin (a hormone that allows you to sleep).
If you want to watch television, it is crucial to choose the right type of program. No action movies, violent news or videos with stunning colours and lots of lights.
If you lie down and cannot sleep, you must repeat the process, unless 1 or 2 hours are left for the alarm to ring. In that case, it is recommended to get up and start the day a little earlier. Certainly, you have many outstanding things that you can do at home (prepare dinner, make the shopping list, do the laundry, clean the room, etc.).
How To Recover From Insomnia
You cannot make the mistake and compensate previous sleepless night with a 3-hour nap today. It is also not recommended, to delay the clock and get up later. These behaviours only get worse and make insomnia chronic. In case of insomnia, the best option to recover will be to wait until bedtime, at night.
After a sleepless night, it is very important that recovery is as quick as possible to fulfil your obligations and activities the next day. Some tips that may be helpful are:
Increase Your Intake Of Vitamin B12
If you do not get enough rest, your body consumes more B-complex vitamins (energy sources). The lack of this nutrient will make you feel apathetic, in a bad mood and having trouble to concentrate. To recover some of this lost vitamin, you can consume any of these foods:
- Molluscs, oysters, mussels.
- Fish, octopus, squid.
- Liver
- Cheese
- Eggs
Drink Ginger Tea
Ginger root has many properties, so you should not hesitate to add it to your diet. If you suffer from insomnia, the hormone cortisol increases and leaves the body in a situation of constant stress. This, in turn, increases blood pressure, causes anxiety and reduces the immune response. To counteract these effects, nothing better than ginger tea.
Ingredients
¼ teaspoon grated ginger (2 grams).
1 cup of water (250 millilitres).
1 tablespoon honey (20 grams).
1 black tea bag.
Preparation
Boil the water and pour it in a cup. Add the black tea bag and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the sachet and add the ginger. Stir well and sweeten it with honey.
Avoid Sugars and Fats
Meals rich in carbohydrates, fats and sugars are not recommended as they provide you with energy immediately. Although you think you need to feel better, after a sleepless night this effect will only be temporary. In a few minutes, you will feel more tired than before. Instead, choose healthy foods rich in protein, fibre, and beneficial fats that will allow you to get energy for longer. Say goodbye to insomnia and stop waking up in the middle of the night!
