The 15-Minute Habits A Sleep Expert Uses To Calm 3AM Thoughts

Woman with insomnia sitting up in the middle of the nightEver had insomnia so debilitating, you tried sleeping like a Medieval peasant to get rid of it? I have (it didn’t work), and I know I’m far from the only poor sleeper around. Experts say waking up in the “second stage” of sleep (usually after midnight) is common.In my case, that leads to what’s called sleep maintenance insomnia.And though I’ve technically already covered what to do if you wake up at 3am, I still frequently stay up ’til the wee hours worrying (I know, because I check the time – despite previously shared why you should not do that).So, I thought I’d ask Dr. Michael Gradisar, Head of Sleep Science at Sleep Cycle, about how to stop my racing thoughts.Firstly, I should try a “body scan” The first recommendation was to carry out what Dr Gradisar called a “body scan” meditation for 15 minutes before bed. This involves mentally “scanning” your body, from the crown of your head to the tips of your toes, focusing on the sensations in that area. “This simple practice helps calm the nervous system and shift focus away from worries,” the sleep expert said. “In one of our studies, people who used a 15-minute body scan nightly for a week halved the time it took them to fall asleep.”The technique is useful any time you want to sleep or simply calm your nerves.I’ve previously seen some success with 4-7-8 breathing for the same reason (it distracts me from my thoughts and might lower my heart rate).Then, I was told to worry betterTo my surprise, the sleep pro advised worrying – but smarter. “Sleep researchers and clinicians have long understood the role of worry in sleep disturbances. This may explain why many common sleep tips fail; they don’t address worry,” he writes. He tells me most worry is future-focused; “When people try to fall asleep, most of their thoughts are about the tasks awaiting them the next day.“This can spiral into worrying about the entire week and, eventually, about how little time is left to sleep before the alarm goes off.” (eerily accurate in my case). Dr Grasidar recommends setting 15 minutes of “worry time” aside before bed, writing out your top three concerns, and giving them possible solutions before hitting the hay. “By completing this exercise before bedtime, you prevent associating the bed with worrying,” he shares.“If worries arise in bed, remind yourself that solutions are already in place, and there’s nothing more to do until morning.”After a few weeks’ practice, he advises, “Constructive worry can significantly reduce racing thoughts.” Related...These 3 Numbers Get Me Back To Sleep When I Wake Up At 3AMExhausted Right Now No Matter How Much You Sleep? This Might Be WhyI'm A Sleep Scientist – Screens Before Bed Aren't Always Terrible

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