What to do if you wake in the night
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A good night’s sleep is essential if you want to feel energised and motivated. Waking at 3am with a very active mind is no fun and leaves you feeling exhausted once you do need to get up.
Here are some tips on what you can do to get back to sleep.
1 |
Your blood sugar may be low. Having a small snack before bed may help. Try something like a banana, or some chicken on an oatcake as these contain tryptophan which is required to make serotonin. |
2 |
Try meditation. Forget counting sheep, it requires too much concentration. Try a body scan meditation where you focus on different parts of the body, tensing then relaxing, beginning at the feet and working up to the head. |
3 |
Brain dump. Keep a notepad by your bed to write down thoughts that come into your mind. |
4 |
Get up and do something. If you can’t get back to sleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something such as reading or listening to music. |
5 |
Avoid reaching for your phone or watching TV. The blue light will tell your brain it’s morning and you’ll stand little chance of getting back to sleep. |
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Avoid looking at the clock. You’ll only worry about how little sleep you’re getting. This will trigger stress hormones which will make you even more alert. |
Learn more about sleep in my best-selling book ‘How to Prevent Burnout’ and my latest book, ‘Life Force. The revolutionary 7-step plan for optimum energy’.