There’s no one cause for our chronic lack of sleep or for what wakes us up, but things like stress and worry play a big role. Poor diet, artificial lights in the bedroom, and increased technology use can also be factors. Below, 15 things to do when you can’t fall (back) asleep: Instead of focusing on your frustration, try to pay attention to your breath and make sure it’s deep and fulfilling. One study found that slow, deep breathing not only helps you fall asleep faster2, but it can make it easier to go back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night. That’s because slow, deep breaths turn on your parasympathetic nervous system, relax your muscles, and slow your heart rate—all positive changes that can help you snooze. In one study, researchers placed 93 participants with sleep complaints into three groups. One group was instructed to listen to classical music, another was told to listen to an audiobook, and the last received no intervention. After three weeks, there were no changes in the audiobook or “no intervention” groups, but the group who listened to classical music had improved sleep quality3. According to another study, the more you listen to music, the more your sleep quality improves4. If you can’t sleep, try slipping on some headphones and listening to music for a little while. Look for something soft and soothing and avoid anything with a fast tempo or aggressive language. A low level of magnesium is also connected with decreased production of melatonin5, one of the most important hormones for sleep.* After the test period, participants experienced improved sleep quality5 and longer sleep duration.* They were also able to sleep in longer in the morning.* While it’s best to get on a regular, long-term magnesium supplementation schedule6 if you’re having persistent sleep problems, the supplement can help promote calm in the moment, too.* The simple technique involves tensing the muscles all over your body, one by one, and then relaxing them again. While there hasn’t been a lot of scientific investigation into it, an older study found that self-proclaimed insomniacs were able to reduce the time it took to fall asleep7 by engaging in 20 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation each day. Researchers from another study that monitored burn patients who were having trouble falling asleep found that progressive muscle relaxation could reduce anxiety8 and improve sleep quality. Next time you’re lying in bed awake, start at the top of your body and tense each muscle group and then let it relax. Keep going down your whole body until you reach the muscles in your feet. While it may feel awkward at first, eventually you may be able to fall asleep more quickly9. This technique, which is called “imagery distraction10,” can reduce pre-sleep worry and help improve overall sleep quality. To try it, close your eyes and imagine the place where you feel most relaxed and happy. Your mind may jump back and forth between this imagery and worrisome thoughts, but when you notice that happening, keep focusing your mind back to your happy place. If you’re feeling restless, get up and walk around a little bit. Leave your bedroom and go read a book or listen to music. Be careful not to turn on any harsh lights, though, and stay away from digital screens, like the TV or your phone. The blue light emitted from these devices can make it harder to fall asleep. When you start to feel tired and your eyelids get heavy, head back to your room and try again. In some cases, lack of sleep is a result of pervasive or worrisome thoughts that you can’t get out of your head. You may be worrying about something that went wrong that day or focused on what seems like a never-ending to-do list for the next day. A worry journal allows you to get these thoughts out of your head and put them down on paper, which can reduce anxiety and help you fall asleep faster11. Lavender also helps regulate GABA, a neurotransmitter that blocks impulses between nerve signals in the brain. Low levels of GABA are connected to anxiety and difficulty falling asleep, while high levels promote relaxation13. If you’re lying in bed having trouble falling asleep, dab some lavender essential oil (combined with a carrier oil) on your wrists, behind your ears, and on your neck, and take several deep breaths. If you’re feeling particularly restless, put a few drops on your pillow, too. Diffusers disperse the active ingredients of essential oils into the air so they fill the room and enter your body through your nasal passages, where they activate the olfactory nerve14 to send signals to your brain. In addition to lavender, you can include other essential oils that have been shown to help reduce anxiety and help improve sleep, like: If you decide to use a diffuser, stick to the safer essential oils and make sure that your animals have access to another room with fresh air. If you get hot at night, swap out flannel or polyester pajamas with something more breathable, like cotton. Consider your bedding, too. Do you have sheets and a comforter that trap heat and leave you feeling hot and sweaty? If so, trade them for something more lightweight and breathable that allows your body to regulate its nighttime temperature more effectively. If it’s too hot or too cold, it can negatively affect slow-wave16 (or SWS) and/or REM sleep and leave you tossing and turning. The National Sleep Foundation recommends a bedroom temperature of 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep. Ideally, it’s best to set your thermostat an hour or so before you’re ready for bed so your bedroom has time to adjust. But if you wake up hot in the middle of the night or you can’t fall asleep and you think your bedroom temperature is to blame, turn on a fan or make other adjustments (like taking a blanket off the bed or changing your pajamas) to get to the right temperature. In one small study17, researchers found that men who wore foot-warming socks to bed fell asleep 7.5 minutes faster, slept an average of 32 minutes longer, and woke up 7.5 fewer times than men who didn’t wear socks to bed. By warming your extremities, you actually stimulate blood flow, which supports temperature regulation18. If you’re tossing and turning, cover up your bare feet with any comfortable, but not restrictive, pair of socks. In other words, any type of light, even dim lights19 or that small red dot coming from your TV, can interfere with your ability to fall into a deep, restorative sleep. Exposure to light at night has even been linked to depression in older adults. Make sure your room is completely dark by covering your windows with blinds and blackout curtains. Unplug any electronics with lights that don’t shut off and flip your phone screen-side down, so that it doesn’t light up from notifications in the middle of the night. If you can’t get your room completely dark, consider a sleep mask. The idea behind paradoxical intention is to purposefully engage in the very thing you are trying to avoid. In this case, instead of lying in bed at night and frantically trying to will yourself to sleep, do the opposite. Try to keep yourself awake. Chances are, you won’t succeed. Research shows that this can help reduce sleep performance anxiety20 and reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep. This method is especially helpful if you have an intense preoccupation21 with sleep and the negative consequences that might come from not getting enough sleep. But checking the clock and obsessing over the time can make things worse, especially if you’re looking at the time on your phone, which emits a bright blue light that disrupts your circadian rhythm22. Instead of actively stressing over the clock, focus on your breathing to try to get back to sleep. There are a lot of things you can do in the moment, and a lot of lifestyle changes you can make, to help you fall asleep faster—and stay asleep longer. She has written twelve books and has had more than 2,000 articles published across various websites. Lindsay currently works full time as a freelance health writer. She truly believes that you can transform your life through food, proper mindset and shared experiences. That’s why it’s her goal to educate others, while also being open and vulnerable to create real connections with her clients and readers.
