Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

What can I do to stop waking up in the middle of the night?

19 Answers
Last Updated: 12/13/2021 at 7:21am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.

Top Rated Answers
vintagepeach
November 15th, 2014 11:28pm
Make sure that your room is completely dark and that your blinds are down, so that the light doesn't wake you up. Sometimes we wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, so make sure to empty your bladder before going to bed. Make sure to live as stress free life as possible. Do sports activities, even if it's just walking you'll benefit from it. Get soft sheets and find a sleeping position that is comfortable.
WhatACatchKelsey
November 17th, 2014 9:58pm
Read some, or do a relaxing activity that does not involve the computer or the television before you go to bed! If you have insomnia, ask your parents or doctor about possibly starting a low dose of melatonin! It's a naturally occurring chemical in the body, all natural, and you can find it in most drug stores!
MariaX
October 3rd, 2014 2:43pm
Get rid of all your thoughts by just simply counting your heartbeat and you'll fall asleep and won't wake up till you need to. It's a crazy way, but it works for me :)
Anonymous
January 5th, 2015 7:18pm
There are many things you could do but sometimes you run out of solutions. Try to not use any electronical devices at least 30 minutes before you go to bed and keep them away from your bedroom if you can. Drink a delicious cup of tea (best I think is Chamomille) or warm milk, they stimulate the production of melatonine which helps you sleep. If that still doens't work you could try melatonine in pill form, in some countries you need a prescription but sometimes you can just get it from the drug store. Sleep tight!
Anonymous
December 13th, 2021 7:21am
What have you already tried so I can narrow it down. You can take a look at some of 7 cups meditation guides for better sleep I don't mind sending you the links to a few :)
Anonymous
January 18th, 2021 5:43pm
Making sure there is nothing in your surroundings that may make noise and wake you up. Melatonin helps make you tired if you are unable to fall asleep and can often keep you asleep a night. Using a fan at night for noise has also helped me sleep better. Paying attention yo what you eat and drink also plays a bug role in sleeping consistently, make sure you dont drink a lot of caffeine. Also having a sleep schedule will help tremendously. Often taking naps during the day does not help sleeping during the night. Lastly, being physically active helps your body to become tired and need rest.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2018 10:30pm
Anything that will help you relax! It could be drinking some tea, reading a book or maditating! BUT, keep in mind, very one is deferent. What works for someone else my not work for you ;)
Anonymous
April 17th, 2018 2:08pm
Try sleeping on two pillows and lift your head instead of laying flat , let me know how it goes. Also its better to sleep while your stomach is empty so dont eat before teo hours when you plan to sleep
scenicJoy56
February 27th, 2018 6:20am
This is a tricky one because different things work for different people. It may take some time to find what works for you. Some of the things I’ve tried are long lasting melatonin, valerian root is one of my all time favorite herbal remedies for sleep problems, you can look on YouTube to find deep sleep meditation videos to listen to while you fall asleep, or you could try some soothing ambient sound like you’d find on the relax melodies app. Something that has helped me is doing a light and relaxing stretching or yoga session half an hour or so before bed and finishing with a cup of tea to completely relax me. I hope than this helps but remember to be patient, it’s about finding what works for you.
Echelon3
December 28th, 2015 12:04am
Do more during the day. Work out. Go for a jog or a run. Hike a trail. Activity helps our bodies need the rest, so we get to sleep more deeply.
AmazingOutcast
December 7th, 2015 7:01pm
You can listen to soothing music before going to bed or asking your doctor for a prescribed medications.
HelpfulNick95
July 7th, 2015 6:00pm
Sleeping well can be a hard thing sometimes. There are a lot of different methods that can help you get a good night sleep, but some will work for some people and others for other people. It really depends on you. Breathing exercises or meditation before bed is a great way to make sure your body falls into REM sleep, which is a deeper sleep so that you body does not wake up in the middle of the night. Some other reasons you wake up unexpectedly are loud noises, bright lights, uncomfortable bed, or the temperature of the room. To fix some of these, make sure your windows are closed and blinds shut, make sure the bed you are sleeping on is comfortable for you. Make sure you set the thermostat to something comfortable before going to bed. 72 usually does the trick. And if a fan is necessary, try having it blow in the room generally, and not directed at you, or at least have it on a lower speed so the wind or sound does not wake you up.
QueenJ
May 1st, 2015 2:54pm
drink warm milk before going to bed. have a very sweet conversation with someone you care about. don't make any plans for the early morning.
Anonymous
December 25th, 2014 11:29pm
being busy during the day helps me. When I am really tired I am more likely to sleep more sound during the night.
CelestialMoons
December 22nd, 2014 4:35am
Try to "unwind" before bed, don't eat a large meal or drink coffee at least 3 hours before bed, stop watching T.V/ surfing the web/ playing on your smart phone an hour before bed. Try taking a bath/shower an hour or two before bed to feel fresh and comfortable. Reading or writing down all your troubles before your sleep may help you unwind as well. Try to consistently go to sleep at the same time every night say [11 p.m] calculate your REM cycle, [google: how much sleep should I get tonight?] there's calculators for it! If you wake up in the middle of the night, figure out what woke you, if you cannot, just lay there, do not look at the time or get up, just lay for as long as you can!
Anonymous
November 8th, 2014 12:20am
Try to create a nice place to sleep, no lights on, a cool temperature, not hot, not cold, just in between, change your sheets often, keep your bed not messy, don't eat too much before going to sleep and also maybe drink before sleeping a glass of milk or chamomile tea.
peachicus
November 4th, 2014 11:33pm
I'd advise in keeping a log of what wakes you up during the night, it maybe certain noises, dreams or lights that cause this. It may also be a good idea to download the "Sleeptalk" app to your smart phone (if you have one) which will record any noise that is made during the night to help find the cause :)
Jay99
October 12th, 2014 6:21pm
Before you go to bed, take benadryl or drink non caffeinated tea- my favorite is honey vanilla chamomile tea :)
Shaneer
October 10th, 2014 4:00pm
Things that I can do to stop waking up in the middle of the night is having a scheduled time for bed