Experts advise what to do if you’re tossing and turning in the middle of the night. One of the most common difficulties I’m asked is: ‘What should I do when I wake up during the night Waking during the night can be caused by many different reasons, such as restless legs or subtle jerky movement in our limbs, sleep breathing disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, or needing to urinate more frequently as we get older This is when our body and brain starts to develop associations with struggling to fall asleep, or waking up during the night, or in the early hours of the morning – and even when there is no physical reason preventing us from sleeping, we still struggle Sleep is an essential part of our health just like diet and exercise. It affects our moods, behaviours and overall wellbeing – so a lack of it can cause major disruptions to your everyday life.” Keep a sleep diary “Spend some time during the evening writing down all of the thoughts and concerns from the day,” says Schaefer. “This will help to teach your body and brain that daytime is for thinking – night-time is for sleeping.” Don’t force it “Sleep needs to find you,” says Artis. “Keep your eyes open and gently resist sleep, or try to adopt a carefree, accepting attitude towards wakefulness. The more relaxed your mind is, the easier it is to drop off. Don’t clock watch When you keep an eye on the time, your mind starts to count down how long you have left to get some sleep,” warns Artis. “This generally leads to tossing and turning and thinking about what you need to do the next day, which increases stress and anxiety .”This frustration often sends your body into a ‘fight or flight’ response, where your mind starts to race, your heart rate increases, and your blood pressure rises. All of which, ultimately, prevent you from going back to sleep.” Keep your mind in the present Focus on the present moment, such as a pajama button, the crease in the sheets, the gentle rise and fall of your tummy when you breathe,” advises Schaefer. “When you find your mind being drawn towards your thoughts, simply bring it back to the here-and-now experience. And relax… Progressive muscle relaxation can help control stress and anxiety – and could help you nod off. It involves tensing and then relaxing your muscles, one by one. “It’s when you focus on squeezing and releasing the muscle groups in your body systematically
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