How To Get Back To Sleep In The Middle Of The Night

We’ve all been there - staring at the clock at 3am, unable to get back to sleep, counting down the minutes until our alarm goes off. But, it needn’t be this way. There are techniques you can use to help you get back to sleep in the middle of the night, and most importantly, stay asleep.

There are lots of reasons why you might wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to return to the land of nod. Your sleep can be impacted by everything from your diet and caffeine intake, to an out-of-sync sleep-wake cycle or feelings of stress and anxiety. It’s normal to wake up in the middle of the night from time to time, however if you are constantly waking up at night, and unable to get back to sleep even when trying the techniques below, reach out to your doctor/GP for further support.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to getting back to sleep in the middle of the night, but the sleep-inducing tools below could help you nod off once more and sleep through till morning. 

1 —

Try the 20-minute rule

If you’re awake for more than 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something else for 20 minutes. Make sure it’s something easy and not too taxing - like reading a book or folding laundry - and then get back into bed and re-set.

2 —

Practice yin yoga or yoga nidra

Yin yoga focuses on deep stretches and grounding postures to help soothe the nervous system and prepare the body for rest. Yoga nidra is similar to a body scan meditation, and can be done on a yoga mat or in bed. It brings awareness to different parts of the body, all while slowing down the breath and bringing you into a relaxed state.

3 —

Write a to-do list

If your mind is whittling with all the things you have to do the next day or thoughts about the previous day, get it all out of your mind and onto a page. Research shows journaling can reduce bedtime worry and overthinking and help you fall asleep and stay asleep. 

4 —

Try Sleep Aids

If your room is too light, a black-out eye mask could help you nod off. Similarly, other sleep aids such as weighted blankets or weighted eye pillows can be really comforting if you can’t get back to sleep. Weighted blankets feel like a warm hug, and stimulate feel-good hormones that are important for sleep (serotonin and melatonin), thanks to the deep-touch pressure they create. Other sleep aids worth considering including sleep-inducing bedding sprays - the calming scent can create a relaxing atmosphere and signal to the brain that it’s time for sleep - or, white noise machines which emit noises of a certain frequency that can help you fall asleep and stay asleep by masking any noise disturbances that might wake you up. 

5 —

Keep your room cool and comfortable

When summer arrives or a heat wave strikes, it’s even more important to keep your room cool to promote sleep. If the hot weather is waking you up in the night, and you’re struggling to get back to sleep, crack open and window or turn on a fan and let your room cool down. You want to aim for a room temperature of about 18 to 18.5 degrees celsius. This allows your core body temperature to drop, which is key to you getting to sleep. While you let your room cool down, you might want to try the 20-minute rule and do a non-taxing task to keep you busy and out of the bedroom while it’s cooling.

6 —

Don’t look at your phone 

The biggest mistake many of us make when we can’t get back to sleep at night is turning to our phones for entertainment. The blue-light emitted from your phone suppresses the production of melatonin - the hormone that’s key for sleep - and will make you less likely to fall back asleep. If you can, stay off your phone and instead turn to a book or magazines to keep your mind busy until you feel sleepy.

7 —

Practice meditation or breathwork

If you wake up in the night or can’t get to sleep, try listening to a guided meditation or practicing breathwork. This will help to calm your nervous system, reduce your heart rate and breathing rate, and produce brain waves associated with deep relaxation. You could also try listening to a Sleep Story - a calming story read by a mindfulness expert that encourages relaxation with a simple storyline - although, note that some people find these distracting when they are trying to fall asleep, as they feel they have to keep up with the storyline!

Meet The Expert

Ciara McGinley

Ciara is a wellbeing journalist, meditation practitioner and the founder of Finding Quiet. She graduated with the British School of Meditation in 2021 before launching Finding Quiet, where she hosts meditation circles and luxury mini retreats in London.

Ciara also writes about health and wellbeing for a range of lifestyle magazines, including Red, Women's Health, Stylist, Marie Claire and Woman & Home.