Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photos
Topics: Health, Sleep, Mental Health
Lucy Devine
Experts have warned of the 'worst thing' you can do if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night.
Most of us stir at least once while we're sleeping, while others wake numerous times throughout the night.
But while many of us will go back to sleep, for others, it's not so straightforward.
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But according to experts, if you happen to wake up in the night and struggle to get back to sleep, there's one thing you absolutely should not do.
And nope, it's not raiding the fridge for a snack, although we imagine that's not a good idea, either.
One expert, Dr. Fiona Barwick, director of the Sleep & Circadian Health Program at Stanford University School of Medicine, explained that instead of lying in bed thinking about the fact you can't get back to sleep, there's a better alternative.
She told Self: “Thinking about the fact that you’re not sleeping can rouse your mind and make you more anxious.
"A better move is to accept your situation – don’t resist being awake – and find an alternative focus.”
Another expert has claimed that if you can't get back to sleep, 'it's important not to stay in bed'.
Sleep expert, Luis F. Buenaver explained to John Hopkins Medicine: “Doing this will lead your brain and body to associate your bed with wakefulness instead of with sleep.
"It can be difficult leaving a warm, comfortable bed after waking up in the middle of the night.
“But think of this step as an investment in better sleep – if not tonight then tomorrow night and in the future.
“Sit in a comfortable chair in another room.
“Read a book, with just enough lights on so that you can see the print comfortably.
"If your mind is racing (perhaps you’re going over a work presentation you’ll give in the morning or trying to solve a problem in your life), distract yourself by listening to quiet music or a recorded book for a few minutes. Don’t do anything stressful like working or paying bills.”
Buenaver also explained that if you do have a poor sleep, it's important not to sleep in the next day and to follow your usual routine.
“Don’t sleep in, don’t nap, and don’t go to bed early the next night,” he added.
“Get up at your usual time and go to bed at your usual bedtime. You may feel a bit more tired than usual during the day, but by increasing your body’s appetite for sleep you’re ensuring a better night—and you’ll put yourself on track for sound sleep after that.”