Sleepless Night: What To Do?

There are many reasons for a sleepless night. Stress, worry, fear or changed or incorrect sleeping habits. Find out what you can do about it.

Who does not know that, a sleepless night : You toss around in bed, from one side to the other, but sleep does not want to come. But what do you do? How can one manage to fall asleep, find relaxation and be fit again the next morning?

There are many reasons for a  sleepless night. Stress, worry, fear or changed or incorrect sleeping habits.

As long as it stays one night, that’s not a problem,  but if sleepless nights become the rule, then you have to do something about it! 

Sleepless night: health consequences

If you often wake up at night and cannot fall asleep, it can have serious health consequences:

• weakened immune system
• Pre-diabetes
• Eating disorders (obesity)
• Memory or concentration problems
• decreased performance

• Movement disorders
• stress
• Heart disease
• Stomach ulcers
• constipation
• depressions

You should therefore do something about insomnia before it becomes chronic!

Sleepless Night: What Can I Do?

Try the following tips to improve the quality of your sleep and find nighttime relaxation:

1. Try not to think about worries and problems

We all have worries and problems to worry about. And of course it is not at all easy to just “turn off” these thoughts. 

But there are several methods you can use to distract yourself from it: try meditation or just think of a nice, relaxing moment.

Imagine walking on the beach or in the forest and listening to the beautiful sounds of nature. Breathe calmly and relaxed.

There are also various apps with relaxing meditations that can be very helpful. Just give it a try to avoid another  sleepless night!

2. Don’t make plans in the evening

When you start thinking about future projects and goals in bed in the evening, you can get caught in a wheel of thought  that will not let you go to sleep.

You shouldn’t plan what you want to do the next day either. You’ve earned a good night’s sleep after a hard day,  relax and don’t think about what’s in store for you tomorrow.

3. Stand up briefly

If you’re already having trouble falling asleep, get up briefly to do some relaxing activity.

Take a warm bath to relieve your body and mind from the tensions of the day. Read a relaxing book or do a simple activity like Sudoku.

However, only use dim light. After a maximum of half an hour, you should go back to bed and try to sleep.

4. Avoid technological devices

Cell phones, TVs, laptops or tablets have no place in the bedroom! This activates the brain. Therefore, it is quite normal if you cannot sleep afterwards. 

You should turn off all display devices for a while before you go to bed.

5. Avoid stimulating drinks

Tea and coffee contain stimulants, so avoid them in the afternoon.

Before bed rest, you can have a calming herbal tea to help you sleep!

Sleepless night: further recommendations

The following tips are also very helpful. Because with simple changes in everyday life you can already achieve a lot: 

• The bedroom should be completely darkened so that the sleep hormone melatonin can be formed. You can also wear an eye mask. 
• The bedroom should be at a comfortable temperature, neither too warm nor too cold. Most find 20 to 21 degrees to be beneficial.
• Avoid electronic devices in the bedroom to prevent electromagnetic radiation.

• The cell phone should not be on the bedside table! Use a silent alarm clock.

• The bed should only be used for sleeping. It is neither a work area nor suitable for eating.
• If your partner is disturbing your sleep,  consider sleeping in a separate room.
• Pay attention to regular sleeping habits: this means that you should go to bed and get up at the same time every day! Even on weekends.
• Before you go to bed, you should get into a routine that you repeat every day (brushing your teeth, preparing your clothes for the next day, tidying your room, etc.)

• Stop drinking for two hours before bed rest. In addition, you should go to the toilet before going to sleep so that your sleep is not disturbed by the urge to urinate.
• If you get cold feet quickly, you can sleep with socks to keep your body temperature constant.
• Listen to relaxing music before you go to bed.