It is 3 a.m. and your eyes pop open. Suddenly, you’re wide awake. Like clockwork, you regularly rouse from sleep at the same time every night (whether it is 3 a.m. or not).
Here, Vishesh K. Kapur, MD, MPH, professor of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Washington, advises what to do to prevent nighttime wakening.
While avoiding waking around 3 a.m. may not always be possible, here are some things you can do to ensure better quality sleep:
- Avoid stimulants such as caffeine for at least three to four hours before bed.
- Don’t take naps.
- Exercise at regular times each day, but not within three hours of your bedtime.
- Avoid too much stimulation, such as violent TV shows or computer games, before sleep.
- Practice relaxation techniques at bedtime.
- Do not watch television or use your computer, cell phone or tablet in the bedroom.
- Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake at the same time each morning.
- Use the bed only for sleep or se**al activity.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco products, especially before sleep.
If you wake up and then struggle to fall back asleep, Dr. Kapur suggests the following best practices:
- Don’t check your phone (you don’t want your brain to think it’s time to wake up).
- Get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleep again, like light reading, deep breathing or meditation.
When to see a sleep expert
If your nightly sleep disturbances cause you distress or start to interfere with your work performance, concentration or memory, consult with a sleep expert, per the Cleveland Clinic.
A specialist can help you get to the bottom of the problem and create a treatment plan for a better sleep.