It is 2 AM in the night. Your eyes suddenly open, and 20 minutes pass while tossing and turning in bed. Your brain automatically reaches out, and the smartphone screen lying near the pillow turns on. If this happens to you often, understand that knowingly or unknowingly, you are ruining your brain’s sleep cycle forever.
Why Is Touching Your Phone the Biggest Mistake When You Wake Up Suddenly at Night?
When you wake up suddenly in the middle of the night and pick up your mobile, its bright screen sends a wrong signal directly to the pineal gland through your eyes. Your brain thinks it is morning. As a result, the secretion of melatonin in the body stops, and cortisol, the stress hormone, starts increasing rapidly.
After this, your sleep vanishes completely. Scrolling through a social media reel or even a single notification fully activates your mind. This is why looking at a screen when your sleep breaks at night is considered the biggest enemy of sleep quality.
1. Follow the 20-Minute Rule: Don’t Stay Lying in Bed By Force
If you have been lying in bed for more than 20 minutes and see no sign of sleep, stop tossing and turning in bed. When you lie in bed without sleep, your brain starts linking the bed with restlessness and anxiety. In neurology, this is called a ‘negative association’.
Get up and move to another room. Sit quietly there in dim light. Read a book that is not overly exciting. Do not return to bed until you feel heavy eyes again. This method works wonders in resetting your brain.
2. 4-7-8 Breathing Technique: A Simple Way to Calm Your Mind
When thoughts refuse to stop at night, controlling the pace of your breathing is the most effective solution. The 4-7-8 breathing exercise activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down the heart rate and sends the brain into relax mode.
- First, inhale deeply and slowly through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Then exhale completely and slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat this cycle just 4 to 5 times. You will find that the muscle tension is reducing and your body is fully prepared for sleep.
3. Brain’s ‘Brain Dump’: Write Down All Your Worries in a Diary
Often, the biggest reason for sleeplessness at night is ‘overthinking’. What to do at the office tomorrow, how to respond to something, or old memories keep spinning in the mind. When the mind holds on to a thought, the body cannot relax.
The simplest solution to this is a ‘brain dump’. Keep a diary and pen near your bed. Whatever thought or worry is bothering you, write it down on the page. When you put your thoughts down on paper, the mind receives a signal that there is no need to remember these things anymore, and it calms down.
4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Relax Your Body from Head to Toe
You can use this scientific technique while lying in bed. Due to daily stress, our body unknowingly accumulates stiffness and tightness. Until the body relaxes, the brain will not receive the signal to sleep.
Start with your toes. Clench your toes tightly for 5 seconds and then completely release them. After this, tighten the muscles of your calves, thighs, stomach, shoulders, and face one by one for 5 seconds, and then relax completely. By the time this process ends, deep sleep begins to set in.
Fix the Room Environment: The Right Balance of Temperature and Lighting
The bedroom environment matters a lot for deep and uninterrupted sleep. Your bedroom temperature should be slightly cool. Only when the human body’s core temperature drops slightly do we feel natural sleepiness.
Keep the room completely dark or use a very dim night light. If outside noise bothers you, you can take the help of white noise or the light sound of a fan. Your bed should be meant only for sleeping and resting, not for working on a laptop.
Vivek Bhai’s Advice
When sleep breaks suddenly in the middle of the night, most people panic, thinking, ‘Oh man, how will I go to work tomorrow morning?’ This panic and checking the time becomes the biggest enemy of your sleep. Drop the habit of looking at the clock, because looking at the time only increases stress.
Sleep is not something you can forcibly impose on your mind. It is a natural process that happens only when both your body and mind feel completely safe and calm. So turn off the screen and give your body some space.
Next time you wake up at night, your hand should not automatically move towards the mobile. Sit quietly in the dim light of the room, drink two sips of normal water, and focus on your breath. Your body will automatically drift off into sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it right to drink water after waking up at night?
Yes, drinking a little normal or slightly lukewarm water is completely fine. It hydrates the body and helps calm the nervous system. However, do not drink too much water, otherwise you will have to go to the toilet repeatedly.
Can we go for a light walk if we cannot sleep at night?
Walking at a slow pace inside the room or on the balcony for 5 minutes is fine. This reduces muscle tension. But do not do a fast walk or exercise, as it will increase your heart rate.
Should one read a book or listen to music when unable to sleep?
Reading a paper book in dim light or listening to very soft instrumental music is very beneficial. Just make sure you don’t check your phone screen repeatedly to listen to music.
How long does it take to permanently fix the sleep cycle?
If you follow the rule of sleeping and waking up at the same time every day, your natural circadian rhythm gets completely set in 2 to 3 weeks.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general awareness only.
