What Should You Do If You Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night?

We can experience insomnia at any time, not just when we try to sleep. Sometimes we  wake up in the middle of the night  and struggle to fall asleep again.

What if I wake up in the middle of the night?

Waking up in the early hours and not being able to fall asleep again is disturbing. We want to rest because the alarm clock will not ring for a while, and we know that without a good night’s sleep, we will become zombies the next day. If we wake up in the middle of the night, it can be a consequence of various reasons:  hearing loud noises from outside (such as a police siren, for example), a nightmare, that we get too cold or hot, etc.

When we wake up in the middle of the night, it can be quite difficult to fall asleep again. Some people choose to change sleeping position sometimes in bed. On the other hand, there are some people who choose to get up and complete things on their to-do list (sometimes even out-of-the-ordinary activities). Having a good night’s sleep is important for our physical and mental health . Not getting quality sleep leads to apathy, irritability, memory and attention problems, drowsiness and many other negative results.

In addition, work and social conditions worsen when we do not get enough rest. When should we be worried about waking up too early? When it happens more than three times a week. It may be a sign that we are too stressed, anxious or nervous. In the long run, it will have serious consequences for our health.

To be prepared for sleep

If we wake up in the middle of the night, we can try to get out of bed, leave the room, turn on the 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, what we consider to be “a relaxing activity” is up to personal judgment. For some it may be meditating or practicing yoga while others may read, play cards or look through pictures.

In any case, it should be an activity that does not activate our nervous system. Without exception, we need not turn to coffee, alcohol or tobacco. If we want to use a tablet or mobile phone, we should really reduce the screen contrast and light to a minimum, and avoid white, green and blue lights that inhibit melatonin production (which is a hormone that allows us to sleep).

If we want to watch TV, it is important to choose a suitable program to fall asleep. It is best to avoid action, violent news or videos with flashing colors and lights.

If you go to bed again and wake up again, do the same, except if you wake up again 1 or 2 hours before you plan to wake up. In the latter case, it is better to get up and just start the day earlier. We will definitely have enough tasks that we could get started with (preparing dinner, writing down a shopping list, washing clothes, cleaning, etc.).

How can you recover after waking up in the middle of the night?

No matter how badly we may have slept the previous night, we can not make the mistake of compensating with a 3-hour nap. Nor can we set the clock back and wake up later. These ideas only aggravate insomnia, making it a chronic problem.

If you wake up at night or have insomnia, it is best to wait until the evening to sleep. After a night of insomnia or waking up to odd hours, you should try to restore your rest as soon as possible so that you can follow up on your commitments and activities the next day. Some tips that may help are the following:

1. Increase your vitamin B12 intake

If you do not rest enough, your body uses higher amounts of B vitamins (energy sources). If this nutrient becomes low in your body, it will make you feel lethargic, moody and unable to concentrate. To recover this lost vitamin, you can eat any of the following foods:

• Mussels, oysters, mussels.
• Fish, squid, shellfish.
• Liver.
• East.
• Egg.

2. Drink ginger

This root has many properties that we should not hesitate to add to our daily diet. When we are bothered by waking up at night, there is an increase in the hormone cortisol and it puts our body in a state of constant stress.

Elevated levels of cortisol also increase blood pressure, provoke anxiety and reduce the immune response. To counteract these negative effects, there is nothing better than a cup of ginger. It is very easy to make.

Ingredients

• . Teaspoon grated ginger (2 grams).
• 1 cup water (250 milliliters).
• 1 tablespoon honey (20 grams).
• 1 bag of black tea.

Cooking

• Heat some water and pour it into a cup.
• Put in the tea bag and let it soak for 5 minutes.
• Take out the bag and add the ginger.
• Stir and sweeten with the honey.

Avoid sugar and fat

Foods that contain plenty of carbohydrates, fats and sugars are not recommended because they immediately “release” energy. You may think that fast energy is what you need to feel better after waking up during the night, but this effect is only temporary. After a few minutes you will feel even more tired than you did before.

Instead, you should choose to eat healthy foods that are rich in protein, fiber and natural fats that will give you long lasting energy. Say goodbye to waking up in the middle of the night!