Insomnia: What To Do If You Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night?
Insomnia can strike at any time, from when we go to bed until the morning. When it happens in the middle of the night it can make it very difficult to sleep again.
What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night?
Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to sleep is maddening. We would like to rest because there are still several hours to wake up and we know what sleeping bad means: feeling like a zombie the next day.
Sudden awakening can have several causes : a loud noise outside (for example an alarm), a nightmare, too hot or cold, etc. Falling back asleep can be tricky. Some try to solve the problem by changing positions several times, others leave the bed to do some unfinished business or to devote themselves to some original and extravagant activity.
Enjoying good quality sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. Sleeping badly, on the other hand, causes apathy, irritability, attention and memory disturbances, drowsiness and much more.
The consequences of insufficient rest are reflected in social and work relationships. When should we worry about these sudden awakenings? When it happens more than three times a week. It could, in fact, be a sign of excessive stress or anxiety, which in the long run lead to serious health problems.
In case of insomnia, get out of bed to get back to sleep
A technique that we can use, in the case of waking up at night, is to leave the bedroom, turn on the light and dedicate ourselves to a relaxing activity for 20/30 minutes.
After this time, we can go back to bed and try to go back to sleep. Choosing an activity that can act as a tranquilizer is certainly an individual matter. For some, meditation or yoga works well, for others reading, a round of solitaire cards, leafing through a magazine or a photo album.
In any case it is imperative not to excite the nervous system and, above all, for no reason should coffee, alcohol or smoking be used. Anyone who wants to turn on the tablet or smartphone will have to minimize the contrast and brightness of the display.
It is also better to avoid white, green or blue lights, because they inhibit the production of melatonin (the hormone that allows us to sleep). If you prefer to watch television instead, choose a suitable program. No to action and violent movies, or videos with bright colors and lights.
If you wake up again after falling asleep, you will have to repeat the process, unless there is an hour or two left until the alarm clock. In this case, we advise you to get up and start your day earlier.
You can take advantage of some jobs like tidying up the bedroom, doing the laundry, preparing the shopping list, etc.
How to recover the hours of sleeplessness at night?
As bad as the night was from a sleep point of view, we must not fall into the mistake of recovering in the afternoon with a three-hour siesta. Postponing the alarm and getting up later, if at all possible, is still not a good idea. These strategies, in fact, only consolidate and worsen insomnia.
In case of nocturnal awakening or insomnia, the best recovery strategy is to wait for bedtime the following night. After a waking night, it is still important that you recover as soon as possible. Here are some helpful tips for insomnia:
1. Increase your vitamin B12 intake
If you can’t get enough rest, try taking more B vitamins (a source of energy). The lack of this vitamin makes us feel listless, in a bad mood and with difficulty concentrating. To recover this nutrient, you can increase your consumption of:
- fish
- octopus and squid
- clams, oysters, mussels
- liver
- cheese
- eggs
2. Ginger tea
Ginger has many beneficial properties for our health, so don’t hesitate to consume some. When you wake up in the middle of sleep, more cortisol hormone is produced, which leaves your body in constant stress.
This, in turn, causes anxiety and reduces the immune system. To counteract these effects, there is nothing better than a ginger tea. It is very easy to prepare:
Ingredients
- ΒΌ teaspoon of grated ginger (2 g)
- a cup of water (250 ml)
- a tablespoon of honey (20 g)
- a black tea bag.
Preparation
- Heat the water and pour it into a cup.
- Put the tea bag on and leave it to infuse for five minutes.
- Remove the sachet and add the ginger.
- Sweeten with honey and mix well.
Avoid sugars and fats
Meals laden with carbohydrates, fats and sugars are not recommended because they give an immediate energy rush. Apparently that’s what you need to feel better after a sleepless night, however it’s a passing effect. After a few minutes, you will feel more tired than before.
Instead, opt for healthy foods rich in proteins, fibers and natural fats that allow you to get longer lasting energy.
