If you've woken up hours before your alarm, you're probably searching for some easy tricks to fall back to sleep fast. However, if this happens to you often, you may be at a loss to find something to do other than lie in bed hoping to doze off again. But are there any tricks to fall back to sleep fast that are expert-approved?
While there are plenty of things you can do in the long run, such as investing in the best mattress for your sleep or building a consistent sleep schedule, these aren't exactly quick fixes to try while wide awake at 3am.
That's why we've called on three sleep experts to share the six tricks to fall back to sleep fast that they swear by. So, listen to the experts and you'll be able to fall back to sleep in no time.
Why do I wake up throughout the night?
According to Hannah Shore, head of sleep science at Mattress Online, waking up throughout the night is actually more common and natural than you think, and we shouldn't worry too much about it.
"We sleep in cycles of deep, light, and REM sleep, and cycle in and out of these different sleep stages throughout the night," she explains. "One sleep cycle normally lasts around 90 minutes, and when we are experiencing lighter bouts of sleep, we are more likely to wake up."
The sleep and biomechanics expert also says these awakenings are especially common around 3 to 4am. "The first half of our night’s sleep is predominantly deep sleep, and the second half of the night’s sleep is predominantly lighter sleep" she tells us.
"When we are experiencing lighter bouts of sleep, we are more likely to wake up. If we are waking up four or five times throughout the night and falling straight back to sleep within 10 minutes, this can be seen as perfectly normal. "
However, Shore warns that if it takes you over 30 minutes to get back to sleep each time you wake up, then you may be seeing some elements of a sleep disorder. "We can all go through bouts of insomnia throughout stressful periods in our lives," she says. "However, if this is persistent, and it occurs over three nights a week for over four months, then this is when we should seek professional assistance."
According to Joshua Piper, Sleep Clinician at ResMed UK, your lifestyle is one of the biggest causes of insomnia. "Consuming heavy meals, caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol close to bedtime can hinder your ability to fall and stay asleep," he explains. "Going to bed at different times each night can also confuse your body's internal clock, plus high levels of stress and anxiety can keep your mind active, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep."
6 tricks to fall back to sleep fast
1. Try breathwork or visualization
According to Dr Bhavini Shah, sleep expert at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, one of the easiest and effective things you can do while lying wide awake in bed is trying out a sleep technique, like breathing exercises or a sleep visualization method.
"There are several different methods you can try, a common one being the 4-7-8 technique," she suggests. "For this, you inhale through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and deeply exhale through your mouth for eight seconds. Try to repeat this at least four times."
As for visualization, Dr Shah says there's a reason why the cliche of counting sheep seems to endure. "It doesn’t have to be sheep, rather a peaceful or comforting scene," she recommends. "Simply find a comfortable position and close your eyes before imagining yourself in a scene that feels calming and relaxing to you, picturing as many details as you can."
2. Cool down or warm up
"Environmental factors play a significant role in nighttime awakenings," says Piper. "An uncomfortable sleep environment, such as a room that's too hot or too cold, can disrupt sleep."
If you're too cold, grabbing a hot water bottle can help you fall back to sleep fast. However, if you're too hot, Shore says it's important to cool your core body temperature down by a couple of degrees in order to get access to the good quality sleep we need.
"You should find ways to cool down, such as adjusting the room temperature, opening a window, turning on fans, using a damp washcloth, or changing into more breathable PJs," she tells us. “Anything that is going to warm up your core body temperature should be avoided. Some people recommend gentle exercises or hot baths to help relax you, but this could warm up your core body temperature at a point it needs to be cooler.”
3. Get up
Ok, so this one may sound counterintuitive, but this is one of the top tricks to fall back to sleep fast. “If you can't fall back asleep within 20 minutes, don't just lie there," advises Piper. "Get up and do something relaxing in another room, such as reading a book, journaling, or practicing deep breathing or meditation to calm your mind and body. Once you feel sleepy, go back to bed and try again."
However, if you're going into another room, make sure the lighting is dim. "Bright or artificial light in the evening can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime," says the sleep clinician.
4. Repeat your nighttime routine
Got a nighttime routine that works for when you hit the hay? According to Shore, there's no reason why you can't repeat this routine at 3am when you're wide awake.“If we create a good 30 minute wind-down routine that we know works when we are going to bed then repeating this, or parts of it, in the middle of the night, it will reset the body and tell it that it is time for sleep," she says.
5. Watch a familiar TV show or reruns
So, this one is a little unorthodox and goes against everything we've been taught about sleep, but Shore swears by it.
"Most people recommend breathing exercises, light stretches or reading which are great if they work for you — but if they don’t then please don’t worry," says the sleep expert.
"You just need to find something that does work for you. For me, it’s a little controversial, but I watch reruns of TV shows that I have already seen, nothing too exciting. It might seem crazy but chances are you could lose hours tossing and turning, so instead try doing whatever calms you down for 30 minutes and it could speed up that getting back to sleep process.”
6. Put your phone away
The best trick to fall back to sleep fast? Ignore your phone. "Do not scroll on your phone, as this can keep your brain wired and alert because it mimics activities we do throughout the day," Piper tells us. "These include processing information quickly, making decisions, and reacting to content. This reinforces a state of wakefulness, making it harder to transition into sleep mode."
