Waking up in the middle of night? Here’s What I Do… It’s the middle of the night—and boom, I’m awake. Sound familiar? I want to share what helps me when that happens, in case it might help you too.
First off, I sleep with a night light. I’m not a fan of complete darkness, and when I wake up, I like to see that everything’s okay.
Here’s my quick mental checklist:
1️⃣ Check your surroundings. Is the night light still glowing? No weird noises? House still standing? Good.
2️⃣ Check your body. Am I in pain? Too hot or too cold? Need to visit the bathroom? If not, then…
3️⃣ Check your emotions. Sometimes we wake up because something’s bubbling under the surface:
• Did something upset me today?
• Was there a disagreement or hurt feelings?
• Am I worried about money?
• Wondering if someone special is thinking about me?
• Or maybe… you’ve got your own reason. (Feel free to share it in the comments if you like.)
These are all valid feelings—but 2am is not the time to solve life’s problems. The goal right now is to drift peacefully back to sleep.
Here’s what helps me ease back into slumber:
- Get comfortable—wiggle around until everything feels just right.
- Take a few deep breaths until your shoulders relax.
Now comes the hard part: Clear your mind. (Yes, I know… easier said than done!) Tell your thoughts to take a break and come back at a more reasonable hour.
From here, it becomes a personal journey. Some people like white noise—I don’t. Noise is noise, no matter what color it is. But soft music, meditative recordings, or even a gentle focus on the good things in your life? Those can work wonders.
There’s a song that says it best:
🎶 “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.”
That’s solid sleep advice right there.
You’re not alone in this. I hope my little routine helps you feel a bit more peaceful and a little less frustrated the next time you wake up at 3am. I think you will find my book, Sleep Uninterrupted, has more tips for better sleep.
Sweet dreams, friends.