How to get to sleep
It’s 3am and you’re having trouble sleeping… again.
As your thoughts begin to spiral, you panic about how you’re going to make it through the day ahead. In today's world, there are so many factors that disrupt our sleep cycle, it’s a miracle we get shuteye at all. Kids, pets, snoring partners, your body clock… and that’s just the beginning.
But never fear - if we’re experts in anything, it’s the perfect night’s sleep. Let’s dive in!
What causes sleep problems?
Good question. Ultimately, the best way to avoid those sleepless nights is to figure out what stops us sleeping in the first place.
The modern world hasn’t been conducive to sleep for a long time, which is one of the major roadblocks to getting good rest. Once upon a time we used to fall asleep when the sun set, and wake up when it rose - and we’re still evolved to do that. But with alarm clocks, artificial lights, and daily work demands, following that pattern is nigh-on impossible.
Many of us have managed to adapt to modern life, finding ways of falling asleep that work for us, or simply getting used to not having the restful shuteye we deserve. For those of us who still have a problem, it might be because of the following:
- Noisy urban environments and artificial lights that we can’t shut out.
- Too much stimuli during the day that keeps out brains active in the evening.
- Anxieties and stresses about work and relationships.
- Long to-do lists that mean we don’t get time to wind down.
- Food and drink that keep us awake, like sugar and caffeine.
Many of these things are hard to avoid, but if you can identify which of these keeps you awake, you can start thinking about a solution.
How to get to sleep
Everybody has a different way of coping with a bad night; some stare at the ceiling, some count sheep, some put on Netflix… and in the long run, it’s important to find what works best for you.
If you’ve had a few restless nights and you don’t know where to start, this is how to fall asleep when you just can’t switch off.
1. Don’t watch the clock
Keeping check of how many minutes you’ve been awake will only increase your stress, as it adds pressure to drop off. Before you go to bed set your alarm and put it out of sight. If your alarm hasn’t gone off, you don’t need to know what time it is. Cover up any digital clocks that glow in the dark, too - it’ll help you resist the temptation to peek.
2. Say ‘no’ to the phone
We know how tempting it is to take a scroll through Instagram or have a quick check of your emails but this is a huge no-go. Worrying about any unattended emails will only cause an increase in your adrenaline and the blue light from your phone will suppress your sleep hormone melatonin. If you're an Apple user and you really can’t fight the urge, make sure you’ve got your device on Night Shift mode. You can find this in your smartphone settings and set it on an automatic timer from the moment you go to sleep to the time you wake up.
3. Don’t force it
If you haven’t fallen back to sleep within around 20 minutes, don’t force it. Get out of bed and do a few mundane tasks around the house like washing up. If that’s not for you, read a book on a low light, or do some meditation or deep breathing exercises.
The 4-7-8 technique has also been known to help, sometimes in just 60 seconds. Simply inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale with a whooshing sound for 8 and repeat. It will help you to dispel all those worries and reset your breathing in time for sleep.
4. Sleep signals
If you’re a regular waker-upper, give yourself a signal. Next time you’re falling asleep choose a movement that you find soothing, like stroking your cheek or your earlobe. Repeat this practice every night as you drift off. Over time your brain will create an association between this and sleep. Next time you wake up in the middle of the night, try using this movement to stimulate your brain into sleep.
5. White noise
If you live in a noisy city and can’t sleep through it, white noise is really helpful! Try using a fan during the warmer months or invest in a white noise machine that plays natural sounds. You can pick them up relatively cheaply online.
6. Pay attention to your sleep routine
You’ve heard it before, but we can’t emphasise this enough… a solid routine that helps you wind down before bed will help you drop off, especially after you’ve settled into it. Getting into a bedtime routine is an important part of sleep hygiene - such a big one, in fact, that we’ve written a whole article about it here.
7. Make sure you’re comfortable
We would say this because mattresses are our passion, but it’s true - if you’re uncomfortable you’re going to toss and turn, waking both you and potentially any sleeping partners too. It’s hard to sleep through the night when you have springs digging into your ribs, or the bed’s too hot, after all.
Get yourself a good mattress that minimises motion transfer, helps stop overheating, and supports your body throughout the night. You’ll be amazed what a big difference it makes.
Waking up during the night
If you only wake occasionally during the night, but go back to sleep again, there’s no need to worry.
Did you know it’s perfectly normal for our body to wake up between the hours of 2 and 4 am? In fact, many of us wake multiple times during the night and don’t remember it in the morning, leading us to think we’ve been unconscious the whole time. A full sleep cycle lasts between 60 and 120 minutes and at the end of each cycle, we are in our lightest sleep. If you stir at a similar time each night, this is a good sign that our body's internal clock is synchronised and working properly.
Problems only occur when we wake up more ‘fully’ during the night and can’t get back to sleep, either because something in our environment is keeping us awake (e.g. a snoring partner) or because our mind is racing (which is very common in people who suffer from anxiety). If this applies to you, try the sleep tips above, just as if you’re going to bed for the first time.
Do I have insomnia?
Insomnia is more than the normal difficulty with getting to sleep. If you find it impossible to fall or stay asleep for more than three nights a week, and it happens for three months or more continuously, you have what many doctors would term ‘chronic insomnia’. If your insomnia lasts for a long period of time, it may have become a behavioural pattern which is hard to shift (and we don’t have as much control over it as we think) we should. Nobody’s entirely sure what causes it, but it might have something to do with your brain literally being unable to stop being awake.
A brief bout is called ‘acute insomnia’, and many people experience it at some point in their lives, usually during a major life change or period of unusual stress. Acute insomnia isn’t something to worry about too much, as it often fixes itself.
When to get professional help with sleep
If you’ve found it impossible to sleep for weeks or months, no matter what you do, it might be time to talk to a professional. Sleep problems such as insomnia are very common in the UK and around the world, and there’s no shame in asking for help. Your GP will be able to listen to your worries and help you find the right treatment.
