Did you know that as we age, our bodies have a natural tendency to wake up more in the middle of the night? While this can be a completely normal part of the aging process, it becomes a real problem when you struggle to fall back asleep. You find yourself staring at the ceiling, your mind racing, watching the precious minutes of rest tick away. In this article, I’m going to share with you some of my most crucial tips and techniques, as well as four key things you must avoid, so that you can fall back asleep quickly and easily when you’re disturbed in the middle of the night. (Based on the expertise of sleep doctor, Dr. Michael Breus)
First, it’s helpful to understand why this happens, especially in seniors. Your sleep is closely tied to your core body temperature. As you get ready for bed, your temperature rises, typically peaking around 10:30 PM. After this peak, your temperature begins to drop, which is a critical signal for your brain to release melatonin—the hormone that essentially starts the engine for sleep. However, your body temperature eventually hits its lowest point and starts to rise again, usually between 1:00 and 3:00 AM. This rise in temperature shifts you into a lighter stage of sleep. Since we naturally spend less time in deep sleep as we get older, these temperature fluctuations are more likely to wake us up completely. Now, let’s talk about what you can do about it.
Key Takeaways
- Waking up at night is normal: It’s often caused by natural fluctuations in your core body temperature that shift you into a lighter sleep stage.
- Avoid anxiety triggers: Simple actions like looking at the clock, checking your phone, or turning on bright lights can increase your heart rate and anxiety, making it harder to fall back asleep.
- Lower your heart rate: To fall asleep, your heart rate generally needs to be around 60 beats per minute or lower. The goal of any sleep technique is to calm your body and mind to achieve this.
- Use relaxation techniques: Practices like 4-7-8 breathing, mental distraction exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation are powerful tools to lower your heart rate and quiet a racing mind.
- Rest is still restorative: Even if you can’t fall back asleep, lying quietly in the dark in a state of ‘Non-Sleep Deep Rest’ (NSDR) provides significant restorative benefits for your body and mind.
4 Things to AVOID When You Wake Up at Night
