Here's How to Fix What's Waking You Up in the Night

If you’re finding yourself waking up and struggling to fall back asleep, these tips can help.

You’ve probably been there: you unwind before bed, go to sleep at a reasonable time, and then halfway through the night, you wake up and find yourself struggling to fall back asleep. According to a 2021 global sleep survey, 70 percent of people report experiencing sleep problems, with 43 percent citing waking up during the night as a primary challenge.

One way to troubleshoot this issue and drift back into a restful sleep is to get to the root cause of your wakeup. Once you can home in on what’s waking you up, you can take action to fix the problem accordingly. Here are some common ones and what to do:

Light coming in 

There’s a biological reason why light is such a common sleep disruptor, and it comes down to your body’s circadian rhythm: the 24-hour internal clock that signals when it’s daytime and when it’s nighttime, which is affected by the light around you. So if you have light peering into your bedroom at night, it could disrupt your sleep. 

To create a dark sleep environment, consider investing in blackout shades to keep the light out, which are available in both affordable options like paper and high-end fabrics. Make sure you’re shutting off closet lights and bathroom lights before bed, and covering lights on power strips or chargers. You can also purchase a sleep mask to block out any potential light.  

Unwanted noise 

Noise is another significant cause of sleep disturbances, and it can affect your energy levels and mental health the following day. Whether you hear noise coming from outside your window, your phone notifications, or the television in another room, that noise can both wake you up and make it difficult for you to fall back asleep.

One way to get rid of unwanted noise is to take a few minutes before bed to silence all of your devices and make sure your windows and doors are closed. You can also invest in a sound machine, earplugs, or play white noise

on your phone or stereo to help drown out sudden noises. 

Needing to go to the bathroom 

According to the Cleveland Clinic, your body is hard at work at night, breaking down what you ate and drank that day. This can lead to a nighttime bathroom trip, which can make it hard to get back to sleep. 

Needing to go to the bathroom occasionally is common, but if it’s happening all the time, try setting a cutoff time for water, tea, or other drinks in the evening.

Stress or anxiety 

If you’re feeling stressed or anxious about something going on in your life, that feeling can cause you to toss and turn. It’s normal to be nervous about certain situations, but if stress is continuously waking you up, there are a few ways to take action.

One Microstep that can help is setting a few minutes aside to journal before bed. Write down  what’s on your mind and what your top stressor is right now. Seeing your stressors in writing may help you avoid spiraling over them in the middle of the night. You can also try taking a few minutes for deep breathing if you find yourself waking up from stress. Taking a moment to bring your attention to your breathing can help signal to your brain that it’s time to relax and go back to sleep. And lastly, try reminding yourself that there’s nothing you can do to control this situation at this moment. All you can do is close your eyes, breathe and slowly quiet your thoughts.