Awake at 3 am: how to get back to sleep

Waking up in the middle of the night is normal: sleep runs in cycles, and brief awakenings happen between them. What matters is what you do next.

Don’t check the time

Looking at the clock starts a calculation (how long you have left, how tired you’ll be), and that worry is often what keeps you awake. Turn the clock away, and leave the phone face down.

Keep the light low

Bright light, and especially a bright screen, tells your body it is daytime. If you need light, keep it dim and warm.

Slow your breathing

A slow breath with a long exhale helps the body settle. One well-known pattern is 4-7-8: breathe in for four counts, hold for seven, breathe out for eight. It was popularised by the American physician Andrew Weil; research on it is still limited, so think of it as a calm way to breathe rather than a remedy. Shorten the counts if holding feels uncomfortable.

If sleep doesn’t come back

Sleep guidance, including from the NHS and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, suggests not lying in bed for a long time trying to sleep. If you are still awake after what feels like twenty minutes or so, get up, do something quiet in dim light, and go back to bed when you feel sleepy.

When to talk to someone

If night waking happens most nights for several weeks, or affects your days, talk to a doctor. Persistent insomnia is common and can be treated.

This article is general information. It isn’t medical advice and doesn’t replace a health professional.