Guide
Lying awake? What to do when you can't fall asleep
5 min read · Last updated · By Infinity Tools
It's 1:12 a.m. You've been in bed for an hour. You've flipped the pillow twice, checked the time three times, and now you're working out how much sleep you'll get if you drop off right this second. Most of us have been there.
Here's what tends to help, and what tends to make it worse.
Stop trying so hard
Sleep is one of the few things that gets harder the more effort you put in. Lying there willing yourself to sleep keeps your brain switched on. If you've been lying awake for more than 20 minutes or so, get up (National Sleep Foundation). Go to another room, keep the lights low, and do something quiet and a bit boring, like reading a paper book or folding laundry. Head back to bed when you feel sleepy again.
It sounds backwards, but over time it teaches your brain that bed is for sleeping, not for lying awake and worrying.
Put the clock out of sight
Watching the minutes tick by turns sleep into a countdown, and nobody relaxes during a countdown. Turn the clock to face the wall and leave your phone across the room. You'll know when the alarm goes off.
Get the worries out of your head
A lot of late-night wakefulness is just your brain rehearsing tomorrow. Keep a notepad by the bed and write down whatever is going round in circles: the email you forgot to send, the bill, the conversation you need to have. Once it's on paper, it's easier to let it wait until morning.
Help your body wind down
Try slow breathing, which can calm your body (National Sleep Foundation). Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, then out for a count of six, and keep going for a few minutes. Or tense and relax your muscles one group at a time, starting with your feet and working up. Neither one is magic, but both give your mind something to do other than worry.
Look at the day, not just the night
What you do during the day shows up at bedtime. A few of the usual suspects:
- Caffeine after lunch. It sticks around in your system for hours, so limit it in the afternoon (National Sleep Foundation).
- Long or late naps. They take the edge off the tiredness you need at night.
- A drink before bed. Alcohol can make you drowsy at first, but it tends to disrupt your sleep later in the night (National Sleep Foundation).
- Bright screens right up to lights-out. Give yourself half an hour without them if you can.
If it keeps happening
One bad night is normal. Trouble falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or more is chronic insomnia (National Sleep Foundation), but you don't need to wait that long: if poor sleep keeps affecting your days, see a doctor. Insomnia is common and very treatable, and there are good options that don't involve sleeping pills.
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General information only, not medical advice. If sleep problems are affecting your day-to-day life, talk to a doctor.