How to fall back asleep in the middle of the night

[@TheSleepDoctor]

sleepdoctor.com/books/sleep-drink-breathe/ ⬅ I have a new book out! Are you overwhelmed by wellness? Sleep, Drink, Breathe offers you a back-to-basics approach to achieving your health goals! 📕

[@humblehmathgeo]

This is one of those KZbin videos that come out of nowhere in your feed and are actually helpful.

[@davidcarper5411]

Try and stay unconscious enough during bathroom visits and don't think of anything about the anxiety of modern life.

[@adamanton5366]

The best part about this video is that he doesn't make you feel bad about not getting enough sleep. I like the idea that it's still beneficial even to just lay there and get "non sleep deep rest". I do this a lot so that's really encouraging. All the other advice I've seen about sleep stresses how important it is and just make me feel more anxious about the fact that I'm not getting enough. Thanks for this :)

[@sidekickmusic5936]

So true

[@thoryan3057]

Agreed :)

[@sangjeongkimcho293]

THERE WAS ZERO SUBSTANCE ANDOR “thanks captain obvious” dmbazz

[@rachelmao2939]

I feel exactly the same. When I'm stressed out I turn to wake up around 3:00 - 4:00 am (I sleep around 1:00 am), during that time I always feel I want to kill myself and have all the bad thoughts. However, I'm not under stress, I can sleep until 8:00 am next morning.

[@bohnnco]

It’s so nice to not hear or read how dangerous insomnia is. Nothing makes sleep harder than the fear of not sleeping. I also like to remember I’m not alone. We insomniacs are in good company.

[@Rosk03]

Never look at the clock. Cover yourself just enough to be warm, keep the sheets to a bare minimum and keep a warmer blanket to the side. If you are warm stick your feet out from the sheets. When u wake i n the middle of the night, DONT START THINKING ABOUT STUFF. Any thoughts that come to mind: picture that thought floating away like a dead leaf on a quiet river. If another thought comes, picture it float away also like a dead leaf on a river. Practice not thinking while focusing on breathing. Your mind is a river and you need to let those dead leaves go, practice Not Thinking every night and you'll be a sleep master in record time.

[@beezerdoodle6140]

I had a bad accident years ago and my dad found me wide awake sitting in the den at 3 AM. He asked "What's up" and I told him that I couldn't stop thinking of how I was going to deal with the coming challenges caused by the accident (doctor's appointments, getting rid of my totaled car, ongoing pain etc.) He told me to get a notepad and write down the troubling thoughts so that I would know that I could get up the next day and address the issues because I had the list, therefore no need to keep trying to make a mental list while trying to go to sleep. It worked for me and I still use that advice and it even helps when I have much smaller concerns.

[@00allison00]

My mom always said, “if you can’t sleep, pretend you’re asleep”. Essentially the same advice!

[@goesfarfliesnear1447]

This is going to sound weird, but I still pretend sometimes I'm asleep and that my (older) brother is watching. The reason for that is if he thought we (two poor sisters) were awake, he'd tickle the shnizzle out of us. Sometimes now I just lay there and try to LOOK asleep, and then realize it's the next morning before I know it. My brother passed away unexpectedly a few years back but this is one of his lasting legacies. He was always pulling something like this and we still have to laugh about it!

[@jeannestewart3636]

maybe this was to let her sleep....jk

[@danndann6994]

😄

[@sbrunner69]

That’s awesome!

[@Elaiden]

That’s so cute and gets the point across efficiently to kids. Saving that, thanks!

[@gildersleevefan67]

Here's my strategy that I stumbled across a couple of years ago, and it actually did wonders. I'm a fan of old radio shows, and one time after waking up in the middle of the night, I decided to listen to a show, and what I noticed is, I was never catching the end of it. I realized, I actually falling back asleep without realizing it, and so I stopped worrying. I continue to do this. If I wake up in middle of the night and start listening to something, I fall asleep. Part of the trick is having the volume at the right level where it's loud enough to hear, but quiet enough that it's almost a struggle. But it works without fail.

[@lisahill9578]

I do that too put my ear plugs in and listen to something makes my mind stop xx thankyou for the advice x

[@laymansmith653]

Im a registered nurse and most folks resting heart rate is no one near or below 60 while sleeping and the reason I know this is cause I watch there telemetry all night long on a cardiac floor. Best advice for sleep is no caffeine at least 6 hours prior to sleep. Morning caffeine only and then leave it alone the rest of the day and then you will sleep a little better.

[@junbh2]

I sometimes find looking at the clock helps, because for me one of the things that tends to make it harder to fall back asleep is thinking that it must be almost morning and there isn't enough time to sleep. This is especially true in the winter when the sun isn't as much of a clue.

[@10AntsTapDancing]

Knowing why I wake up at 2 or 3 am is gold. I thought it was just me. I have the problem of my mind turning to negative and depressing things as I lie awake but if I can imagine I'm walking in the woods barefoot it soothes me and I can usually sleep.

[@lindawelburn9140]

I love advice from people who have never had insomnia!

[@jeanbush8791]

I haven't slept well for 35 years. Started when I entered peri menopause. No other symptoms, I just stopped sleeping. I can with certainty, say that just lying in bed is NOT restful. Especially if you haven't slept in a couple of days.

[@christinasworld7894]

Agree about relaxing and just laying there. I've done that for years. I think about how comfortable I am, how I used to hate getting up for school or work when I wanted to stay in bed. So appreciating the comfort of my bed and just relaxing helps me fall back asleep.

[@AmaraJordanMusic]

My Mom and I were both chronically ill and she’d always say, “Ama, even if you can’t sleep, at least rest. Your body needs it.” And since pain threshold and tolerance go down after bad sleep, rest is indeed helpful. I always try to remember her words on those nights and honor them.

[@The_Whimsical_Stenographer]

@when I wake up and can't go back to sleep, I tell myself, pretend like you're still working (I'm retired), and remember when you would've given your eye teeth to sleep in another hour. It works sometimes. 😎

[@adams481]

I learned a little trick in Alanon. Start with your toes…just relax those. Move up slowly, and before you know it you are asleep

[@Gloriagal78]

I’m glad to see you’re not the only one who agrees that just laying in bed can be amazingly restorative. I’ve been doing this for years now, and I thought it was just my imagination.😅

[@Rosie-bl7ec]

Yo duermo muy bien, pero quien tiene problemas para dormir es mi marido, cada noche me despierta más de dos veces. Se levanta, va a comer, abre y cierra cajones, se pone a ver TV. Y me desvelo. 😢 cada noche es una pesadilla.

[@Andijt]

All the information coming at us about how important sleep is just adds to my stress about not being able to get back to sleep. This makes me feel much better.

[@lornakurien7962]

I watched a video by Bhagwan Rajneesh about sleeplessness. He said you lie around all day on the sofa or at a desk and then you want to rest again at night?? You need to do something strenuous like gardening, brisk walking, to tire you out to get a good nights sleep.

[@empireoflightz]

A bunch of those things have helped me but the one that had by far the most impact is learning breath mindfulness, so I can just focus on the sensations of the breath in the belly while noting "rising" and "falling". Puts me to sleep almost every time, there's literally nothing better on earth to slow down your heartrate while also quieting the thinking/anxious mind, which imo is sleep's biggest enemy.

[@Terri_2.0]

The breathing does help. It´s relaxing, absolutely, but it also keeps our mind from wandering off or thinking of something stressful. I focus on the feeling of cool air entering my nostrils, then warm air being exhaled through the nose, and before I know it, I´m asleep again. I don´t mean to make it sound simplistic because I struggled for decades, but this has been working for me lately and I´m so grateful.

[@jugzster]

As someone who regularly wakes up in the middle of the night worrying about sleep, I’m going to try out these helpful tips. Thanks!

[@retepmo6534]

One thing that works for me is actually trying NOT to fall asleep, literally trying to keep my eyes open. It’s counter intuitive but it works. Kind of like when you fall asleep watching tv. I read about POW’s coming to this realization when the anxiety of never knowing when they would be beaten would keep them constantly awake, yet they needed sleep, and this would give them what little sleep they could get.

[@adenicol9569]

Yes, a method of a secret service was to keep "the guy" awake until he provided "the information", and he did because he really wanted to sleep 😎

[@Shannon_Robbie]

This goes against what a sleep therapist told me to do. He said to get up out of the bed and read a "boring" book in low light for 10 to 15 minutes and then go back to bed. It was to avoid creating a negative association with the bed which could cause anxiety. However, I didn't feel like that advice was helping me much! I did notice that if I laid in bed I would drift in and out so I was getting some sleep. Whereas if I kept getting up as he suggested, I was dog tired the next day!

[@aaronhall4361]

One thing that works always for me, is to recall in my memory a time when I had to get up but was so groggy and tired I just wished I could keep sleeping longer. Imagining that feeling, combined with the current awareness that I can indulge in that right now, (I don't have to get up!), instantly puts me back in the mood to sleep. Hope this can be helpful for someone else too!

[@sisterdebmac]

Don't look at the clock is my number one rule. I also put on my sleep mask if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep. It definitely helps, as it's very soft and total blackout. Knowing this about heart-rate is very valuable. My mom, also an insomniac, always told me, "even if you can't sleep, you can rest". She was a scientist and didn't even know it. Thanks, Doc!

[@goesfarfliesnear1447]

My mom was big on that too, as in, "Just close your eyes and rest, you don't have to sleep" even though I always did. Moms rule!

[@dr.rebeccamd]

Great idea right here!

[@hondahirny]

I can’t skip looking at the clock. What I have started doing is just telling myself that it’s ok and accepting the inevitable bad night of sleep. I used to get way more upset about it, which of course made it worse. Agreed that if you can just not look, it’s better. I find that when you’re seeing daylight outside, it’s a pretty big clue what time it is :)

[@NotMyName888]

The sleep mask is huge. I don't need it when falling asleep, but if I wake up in the middle of the night or early morning, it's so calming to put on the sleep mask and have blackout darkness. It has added countless hours of better sleep since I started this.

[@jillaguilar648]

​@@hondahirny🎉

[@AnthonyB2351]

After 40+ years of chronic insomnia trying everything including sleep clinics and pills (rubbish except once in a blue moon and in an emergency), I can confirm that everything he says helps while the usual advice of, "If you can't sleep, get up and do something until you feel sleepy again " doesn't. At least for me, it doesn't. In fact, I've always been worse when I've gotten up and always been better when I've stayed in bed. "Non-sleep deep rest" is very real, so it's important to stay resting, particularly for your eyes, even if you aren't sleeping. To add to it there have been times I've been sure I was awake only to find when I looked at the clock, an hour or two had passed when to me it only seemed like a minute. If you get up you'll miss out on sleep you otherwise would have gotten. The main sleep killer is tension. So whatever you can do to reduce that will help. First off, one night of bad or lost sleep is not going to kill you, so stop worrying. It's the worry as much as anything else that will affect your performance the following day. But do stay away from machinery, please. Find a way to distract your mind from your worries, like engaging in wild, but not so wild you get an adrenalin rush, fantasies that give you a holiday from your normal day-to-day world far away from what's troubling you. And don't ignore physical issues. Have yourself checked for sleep apnea and restricted airways due to allergies or physiology.

[@EMERGENCYRESPONSEVIC]

Thanks so much!

[@tinydancergirl4598]

Concur with ALL of this!

[@ce7066]

Muscle relaxers help

[@epsasharma6346]

Try ayurveda..indian herbs..it is very powerful for insomnia..better than prescription drugs for sleep

[@finite934]

I had insomnia for a couple of years, and everything you say, as well as what the Sleep Doctor says, is spot on. The only thing i'd add is that a big part of dealing with insomnia is figuring out what *your* reason for insomnia is. For example, with me, it was over-thinking and anxiety, and so for me, getting up and writing down my worries on paper at the kitchen table was the *only* way to calm my mind sometimes, and for me, it worked wonders, and even if it took 2 hrs to write it all down, I could go back to bed and basically fall off before my head hit the pillow, even if that was at 5am! All of the other tools help, some more than others depending on your situation, but I suppose that for each individual, there will be one or two tools or methods that work particularly well.

[@RD3D-2]

This can be challenging to do, but if I'm dealing with anxiety, I've found that by telling myself after getting in bed that this is the time for rest, that I can resume my worrying tomorrow and blanking out anxious thoughts, really helps.

[@naturalnashuan]

I do that too and make a point to fall asleep thinking in-detail about the things I accomplished that day. Anything counts, for example: Today a friend and I cleaned up the broken glass, sharp plastic, and metal shards off sidewalks, yards, and the road where drunk drivers keep hitting utility poles. About one a day. Many people walk dogs through that area and I wanted to paws. I'll think about all the benefits of what we did until I bore myself to sleep. I don't allow any negative during this time.

[@featherbrain7147]

My brain just keeps on working anyway.

[@yahyaelmi8435]

Hello please tell me do you suffer from blocked nose and are you a mouth breather do you wake up with dry throat ?

[@UglyFaceOnAStick-iz8bt]

Advice from Scarlett O Hara: "I won't think about that know, I can think about that tomorrow".

[@kurtb8474]

Oh gosh. I had that problem for years. Some of the jobs I had caused me lots of anxiety. They kept me from getting to sleep or, if I woke up in the middle of the night, my mind would instantly begin worrying about work the next day. It was horrible. My wife noticed my pillowcase was stained yellow. It wasn't that warm in our room. Then I once heard the term "weeping through my skin." That's what I believe it was.

[@vickihawse3769]

That was amazing. Valuable information without any fluff. So many KZbin self help videos are people talking for a long time and not saying anything of use. That was concise, and helpful. Most grateful.

[@starlooker6612]

I have a house plan in my head for my dream home, so what I do I start by walking into the house and pick a certain room, I then image it's layout, decor etc. My favourite is the master bedroom, I start by walking into that room and start on the layout and even before I get to the ensuite bathroom I always fall asleep! Works every time!

[@jimdandy6452]

You described my sleep pattern to a tee! It's a given that I wake up around 2 or 3 am and it seems like it takes about an hour (if I'm lucky) to fall back to sleep. I'm less likely to allow myself to be irritated or worried after hearing this - thank you!!!

[@HeritageWealthPlanning]

You’re not alone!

[@barbaramasters2537]

Me too

[@TheSleepDoctor]

We're glad you found this helpful! Sometimes it is the simple things that are most effective.

[@Savorfuel]

Hey guys! I used to have really bad insomnia too. One of the helpful tips I did was to work on increasing my blue light exposure early in the morning and reduce blue light at night to regulate my circadian rhythm. Hope this helps any one of you!

[@jumpercable20]

That's ideal but I'll just turn all of my lights down just enough to see without eye strain.

[@andreatelman2136]

I set my devises (phone etc) to night shift (warm light) from 00.00 to 24.59 so that it only displays blue light for 1 minute a day. This can help of you’re susceptible to blue light insomnia.

[@reformedwretch2071]

I'm having awful insomnia for 5 days now. I took quetiapine last night and I still couldn't sleep even though I was sedated. It was probably worse.

[@adams481]

They have readers that eliminate blue light. They do work.

[@XmanSully]

No this doesn’t help one bit. What the f is blue light?

[@ellenclary]

Sometimes I can't sleep (usually because of caffeine or cayenne pepper) and I noticed that if I just lie there awake, relaxed but not sleeping, I would actually be mostly ok in the morning. I always wondered why. Thanks for the explanation. The most important thing is to not worry about not sleeping.

[@amandaweng9622]

I didn’t know cayenne pepper could keep you up 😮

[@shivadizayin]

I’m guessing cutting out the caffeine or cayenne pepper before bed might help.. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@Lissi969]

Cayenne pepper? 😂

[@chrisyapbp12]

Same

[@hondahirny]

Curious about the pepper. How does that affect you? I don’t eat much pepper so I’m genuinely confused and interested at the same time.

[@janetblanc7658]

Thank you for this advice Doctor. So often we've been told to get up and do something until we feel sleepy again. I never found this worked for me.

[@CathyK-ew5fo]

I usually need to get up 1-2 times per night to use the bathroom. One strategy I use to get back to sleep more easily is to *not* turn any lights on. It's good to have something like, perhaps, a small lamp in another room, just so you can see enough to get around. I do find not turning on lights makes a difference.

[@trigsoleil5157]

That’s good to hear that quiet resting is still rejuvenating for the body somewhat equivalent to actually sleeping.

[@juliecatalini7235]

Love the comment “looking for sleep is like looking for love … “ that made me chuckle and seems so obvious now that you’ve said it! Thank you for the breathing technique tip.

[@erizzle67]

I had two collapsed lungs three years ago, during a botched surgery. I had several respiratory therapists work on me for several weeks in the hospital. The stuff they taught me enabled me to eventually get rid of the asthma inhaler I had been using for a decade prior. Even with lungs that still show scarring on X-rays. The breathing tip you have here is very good. From what the therapists told me, the holding beat is what does the most. You’ve filled the little air sacs and holding it in really maximizes the oxygen passing into the blood. The craziest night of sleep I had at the hospital I asked the next day what drugs they’d given me - they said just oxygen!

[@Loneranger670]

That 4,7,8 technique really works - thank you

[@Gary_DeAfrique]

I watched your video last night and tried your advice and it worked. I was surprised I could do it on the fist try. I woke up as usual sometime during the night. I suspect around 2 or 3am as usual. But instead of looking at the time or getting up, I did the breathing and fell asleep. I did wake up 2 more time, but also resisted the urge to get up to go to the bathroom, was slightly harder but manageable. So this I can say works. Thanks!

[@timdixon1640]

I read till the first yawn and off the sleep I go. Works every time!

[@peterbrendler9662]

This is fantastic advice and similar to what I’ve been doing for years to help battle my insomnia. Great to know that I’ve been doing more or less the right thing. Thank you!

[@TheSleepDoctor]

Glad you found Dr. Breus's advice helpful!

[@Sorellarium]

At last someone who says what I've been doing for years is the right thing to do. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I've been struggling with chronic insomnia. I'm getting a bit better now sleeping an average of 5 hours a night, often without waking up compared to the 1.5 to 3 hours a night 3 years ago. But, I always stayed in bed until the morning. And I now know that is why despite my insomnia I can manage to do my day of work without too much problem. Yes, some days I'm really tired, but when I activate myself, it kind of goes away. So thank you for clarifying this issue. I was so concerned every time I was hearing that we should never stay in bed when we can't sleep. Thank you for your positive attitude. You can inform without being an alarmist like so many on the internet.

[@delores2643]

È

[@noworries12]

My bullet proof method when I wake up at 3am and can't fall back asleep: I go to the living room,lay down on the couch and watch a little TV (low volume)... then I turn around (TV still on) and sleep...sometimes it takes 15 min,sometimes 30 min...works everytime!

[@Patspwnage]

3:04 finally a reason for the breathing technique Also learnt about Non-sleep deep rest being worth some sleep

[@benjaminleonard5770]

Great job! So many videos go on and on about how bad a lack of sleep is, and why you should get more. They just add to the worrying, which doesn’t help at all. Restorative rest is a great concept for putting the mind at ease. Thank you!

[@paleochora]

Exactly!

[@creativequeen8371]

Totally agree.

[@secularapple]

You should worry about a lack of sleep. Most Americans don't get enough of it, and it leads to serious diseases. Don't shoot the messenger.

[@lovesarita]

What an unhelpful comment - 'you should worry' - do you actually think you're helping people sleep? Anxiety is a huge reason for insomnia. Did you not notice the great lengths this video goes to to stop people worrying? @@secularapple

[@Doug97803]

​@@secularappleWay to miss the point

[@tonyhsieh5858]

Thanks a lot for your advice. It really worked !! I woke up in the midnight yesterday and then slept again soon by using your methods....😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@susiedbc]

Great advice. This always worked for me until I hit around 50. Now that I’m in perimenopause, the thing that has helped is an estrogen patch. Just sharing for all the ladies who’ve experienced sudden changes to their sleeping patterns.

[@maryannecosmo6619]

Thank you. This was very helpful. I’ve had decades of getting up 4 to 5 times during the night. The suggested technique really worked. Only got up once to go to the bathroom last night. I also stopped drinking fluids at 5 pm. Much appreciation. 🙏

[@aayushachy3372]

Sleeping is what I look forward each days, I can't get enough of it!! I need between 10 to 12 hours sleep to function properly during the day ❤

[@grettaspier2756]

What I do sometimes is mimic what I do before going to sleep in the first place, which is to read for ten minutes or so, preferably something that isn't too interesting. I also try your 4-7-8 breathing. Thank you for that.

[@Trudloops]

Thanks for the biological reasons behind waking up at 2-3am. I saw my dad facing this issue and that was one reason why I didn’t stress too much about it when it happened to me. If I don’t fall asleep right away, I usually read on my Kindle until I fall asleep or watch a KZbin video. It’s only when these don’t work that I get worried. But now I will try the breathing exercises first. Thanks again.

[@charlottesmom]

Me too! When I can't get back to sleep after waking up usually around 3:00am I read on my iPad for a few minutes and it literally makes me so tired even if I've been tossing and turning for an hour. Sometimes I just say "screw it" and consider 3:00 my wake up time, go downstairs and mess around on Minecraft for a few hours (I'm 57!! My son, his girlfriend and I have a server together). 😂

[@cindypuckett2782]

After my nightly bathroom break, I can rarely fall back to sleep. Then I'm exhausted all day. I tried your breathing pattern to resume sleeping after that 2 am bathroom break. Finally! Something simple and free that works!

[@triarb5790]

Another trick I use is what I call Ears Eyes Toes Nose Get comfortable. Focus completely on Listening. What can you hear? Really focus on each noise. Only on noises. When you have explored each with your ears Open your eyes..wait for them to adjust. What can you see? Look slowly around the room. What is visible? Really focus on each thing. . When you have explored with your eyes, close them. Toes. Wriggle your toes . All attention on your toes. Then slowly focus on each section of your body. Push each part into the bed. Slowly. Keep focusing solely on each section. All the way up to your head. Now your breathing. Slow it down. Do whatever breathing pattern works for you. Complete focus only on gentle breathing. Sleep time now. Works every time for me. By the time it comes to focusing on my head I'm 80% asleep already. 😴

[@stanley4006]

@@triarb5790but the only noise I can hear is my wife snoring and that drives me nuts

[@debjordan4399]

Wow!! Thank you for this. Never had this problem before in my entire 72 years. It's really a bummer.

[@carmenmichaelian8307]

I can’t sleep right now so I walked to the kitchen and warmed up some milk, took a melatonin tablet and now I’m going back to bed to do the breathing exercise. Night, night!

[@mikebrown1778]

One trick which often works for me: I found that the routine of getting into bed, curling up and snuggling down, and particularly the warming sensation of the bedclothes served as a sleep trigger for me. Since I often wake up after a vivid dream or just a bit hot anyway, I now deliberately throw off the bedclothes if I wake in the night and allow my body to cool right down. I then put the covers back on and re-start the warming process. Quite often the next thing I know the alarm's kicking off.

[@pennyhart694]

Kicking off the bedsocks works for me...

[@Ama.921]

Have room temp lower and try a different bedding or blanket

[@micheilakarringten7804]

A big thing I noticed after having my first child and being woken up at night regularly was that if I didn't let my eyes get exposed to bright lights I could fall back asleep much easier.

[@TheresaTV1]

Yes! No TV or overhead lights! Any nighttime issues should be dealt with in a dim and quiet environment (unless it’s an emergency). Don’t turn on a light to use the bathroom, have a nightlight there. It’s very helpful!

[@teddowdall3783]

Thank you so much for posting this. I had always assumed that I woke because I needed a pee, I never realized it was “the other way around”. I followed your advice, and got back to sleep quite quickly, the first time in 3 or 4 years!

[@IronDiva]

What, that the pee needed you?

[@helenepols4405]

I almost always wake up with the feeling that the bed is on fire so I really need to get out of it and wait for the bed and me to cool down. I spent a lot of money on things that should make the bed feeling cooler but none of those did work properly so far. I’m afraid my bed on fire will provide for necessary breaks in many more nights

[@JK_Clark]

@@helenepols4405 Is there any chance it's an allergy to the material or washing powder?

[@lovesarita]

I switched to sheets and blankets to be able to better regulate my temperature! And avoiding polyester mixes is a must. A Chinese Medicine doctor (or an acuncturist) could help you release excess heat from your system@@helenepols4405

[@hehhse3916]

@@helenepols4405 9

[@Kingeorgeofthecastle]

Thank you Doctor. I just wanted to share something that I learned in my teens. There was a study about sleep done by the Air Force, probably in the 1960s. They wanted to determine what would happen to their pilots and other Airmen with less sleep. Here is what I remember, the study detrmined that the human body can still function well with only 4 hours of sleep. That knowledge helps me to relax, not get anxious, when I cannot go to sleep. It is kind of like what you said, paraphrase, "relax, you have been up all night before".

[@njohnson3331]

Thank you! I have a job where I have to wake up at about 1:30 AM, and sometimes I wake up just 4 hours after falling asleep. I crash at random times in the afternoon, so I never feel rested. I'm going to be a bit more mindful of my eating and caffeine levels from now on, along with these tips.

[@sharonperry1000]

Best informative piece of advice I've heard.Usually they talk and talk.He got straight to the point.Very useful information.Thank you 👍

[@hg1288]

Thanks. Get back to sleep at night is difficult. Strangely, I have done the breathing exercise and it works. Since I have not seen your video, this exercise came automatically to me and of course I did not follow your timing. I just breathe in, hold a while and slowly breathe out. Great advice!

[@edjohn4590]

I’ve never in my 40 years slept through the night… maybe when I was a baby..? But I always wake up at least 3-4 times during the night

[@aelaan12]

My nights go like this: Deep sleep for about 2 hours, wake up for a pee, go back to bed and depending on the day of the week I am so exhausted that I fall back asleep immediately (Thursday and Friday). Saturday morning there is no pressure and I tend to sleep longer (8-9 hours). I have survived with 3 hours of sleep on Monday, but honestly I have to take a siesta. Tracking my sleep shows strange fluctuations. It sometimes shows I was awake for two hours, but I honestly felt like I slept that whole time. I am no longer using melatonin to stay asleep, my doctor prescribed me something different that I really do not like, it keeps me in a deep slumber and in the morning I wake up feeling like a freight train hit me. I also love to use lavender spray or hand cream that makes me doze off. I love this video because you do not make me feel bad for not sleeping. It is good to hear that this is biology.

[@elspeff]

This is fantastic advice, especially since my capacity to go back to sleep while menopausal has gone out the window. Thanks so much for this!!

[@pattyclifton7905]

Finally, someone telling me something new about being to warm, how to breathe, and that just laying there CAN give me some restoration. I started wearing an adult diaper to bed because every time I got up to pee, it was 4 hours before I could go back to bed. You might think that was a crazy idea, but when you're desperate for sleep, you will do anything! And it did help me get back to sleep faster, by NOT getting up. Just make sure you get a good adult diaper that does not leak or you'll be getting up to change your pajamas or the sheets!😉

[@coldlowe]

I’ve struggled with sleep issues all my life and he described details no doctor has ever mentioned! I shall be looking at more of your videos and website!😊

[@sophiaandrews5849]

Hello doctor I hope you're doing well i just wanted to say thank you I tried the breathing technique and it worked I could never get back to sleep and I always woke up and I would be so tired but not anymore it worked for me thanks again ❤

[@joshbiggs3162]

This advice flies in the face of most advice I have heard about sleep. Most advice I have heard is 'if you can't fall asleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing. But this doctors says it's better to stay in bed. I am not saying he is wrong, but if he's right, why does most sleep advice involve getting out of bed?

[@BettyJC2010]

I've been doing this for a few weeks now, it really helps me to go to sleep 😴 But I didn't know there was a video on it, wow ! I remembered my nurse telling me to breathe in hold it a breath out several times to relax.

[@rtoriq]

I think another thing that’s majorly overlooked is having 100% polyester sheets and/or covers. Pure polyester sheets I eventually realized caused me to sweat so much (even though I don’t get hot easily) that I end up waking up because of it. I have MUCH less issues with this when I have all cotton sheets/covers or cotton blends. So for us light sleepers, please consider changing your sheets to cotton blends or pure cotton.

[@jaytee2642]

Not looking at the clock is a big one for me. I trained myself decades ago not to look at the clock if I woke up, because all it did was cause anxiety and made it harder to fall back to sleep. Today's sleep issue is different. It's after 7am and I haven't been to sleep yet.🥴 Eh, it happens. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And sleep will happen too...eventually.😴 Thank you for some helpful tips.

[@loopshackr]

... and for god's sake, don't say "Alexa! Time!"

[@Merl1n3]

I don’t typically have trouble sleeping, but I am so happy I found your channel - you are particularly comforting!

[@random_gamer_guy82]

I'm in constant pain with my left leg, and lower back with neuropraxia and sleeping is a nightmare for me. Even with heavy medication it's a nightmare. Thank you I'm going tonight going to try it definitely

[@SirineScenery]

Thanks for this education. I can now get rid my worries. Small hour sleep and has many hours just lying in bed.Then shower and work.That is why it is still amazing that even having small hours sleep, I can still work actively and even not feel tired when working.

[@songpoetry1]

Oooh, the breathing technique is exactly what I was looking for! Me waking up to pee can't be helped at this stage in pregnancy, but today my heart rate is the real problem. The breathing does slow down my pulse as long as I keep it up, so I at least feel more relaxed. Maybe it'll finally do the trick to let me sleep. I'm gonna need that sleep once I go into labour, which at this point could be any moment now.

[@jennyfulcher8035]

Great tips! I've been waking up around 2:30 am lately because I'm warm or hot, so I get up, look at the clock, go to the restroom, but can't fall asleep. This happens if I had a stressful day, so when I wake up, my mind goes into overdrive. I've found if I'm calmer and quieter before bedtime, then later when I wake up I'm able to fall back to sleep okay . I'm aware I'm about to enter a hypnagogic state because I feel cooler. I may or may not sleep, but at least like you said I have deep rest. 😴💤🐻💤

[@l.v.1207]

I would wake up warm. When I started flipping my pillow over, and taking off the covers, I was able to get to sleep much faster, or often now, not wake up except for the few seconds it takes me to do those two things.

[@rachelr8837]

I was never a midnight snacker, but I have found that when waking up at 2-3, a light snack has really been doing the trick for me...something comforting and light. You just have 2 worry about brushing and turning on bright lights at weird times...neighbors, lol.

[@Red23165]

Hello hope you have more videos like this one. I’m retired now my kids did well. I been retired 5 years just Turn thank the lord 65 years old. I noticed 3 years ago 2 years after I retired my sleeping started to change. Were I was having a hard time falling asleep. I was 62 years old. When I worked I was up for 30 years at 4 am . Stress at work. Kids you got the picture been there and done it. Now my body takes couple hours to relax. Sometimes I don’t fall asleep till 2 am or 3 am. Been trying supplements/ purchase new pillows. So want I do now is breathe exercises. It helps . I watch videos that make me feel guilty if I don’t get any sleep everyone is different. So I’m also trying to get back on schedule when your retire you set your owe time 😊thanks ❤

[@brocknspectre1221]

For over 4yrs now, I’ve been going to bed at 10pm and getting up around 2:30am. I take two 20min naps during the day and I feel great! It’s called Polyphasic Sleep. There are multiple polyphasic sleep patterns and the one I described is called Every Man 2.

[@glasshalffull2930]

When I had a challenging work project, sometimes I’d wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. It would keep me up because I was afraid I might not remember it. I solved the problem by putting pencil and paper on my nightstand. Worked great! I’d wake up, jot the idea down and my brain could relax and I’d be back asleep in seconds.

[@naturalnashuan]

If you don't have a way to write, many cellphones have functions for typing notes to yourself. An alternative is to text the thought to yourself to remember it. Just get it out of your head. Many great inventions, ideas, and art works have come from things that people woke up thinking in the middle of the night.

[@uppermiddleclass]

My favorite book from childhood, which I am listening to as an audiobook, always put me back to sleep in 30 minutes. Though my sleep quality has degraded ever since, this still works flawlessly.

[@greenbluemonkey]

This is great if you don't care about following a plot properly. It works, but where to you set the storyline the next night? As long as you use it only as distracting sounds....like white noise, its fine. But don't do this if its a novel or nonfiction book you actually wanted to follow along with the plot and digest in all its nuances. I've found that listening to shorter plot lines, specifically old timey radio shows like Gunsmoke is perfect. I don't really care if I hear the end or not.

[@jackgeary6928]

To help me sleep, I imagine a song I like in my head. When it’s over, I imagine it again in my head but at a slightly slower tempo. Rinse and repeat. If you need to, then tap the beat with your hands, but always at a slower tempo than before. It has always worked for me and much better way to slow down the thought that jump into your head that usually start to wake you up.

[@savygovender355]

I always have sleeping problems I will try your breathing tips thank you doctor

[@kambrose1549]

Absolutely right about not looking at the clock. I worked this out after a few months of broken sleep

[@samflanagan77]

Very interesting and helpful. 4-7-8 works for me and that was before seeing this video. I’m retired so a pre breakfast walk or even light cardio is my current key to longevity. Truly detest waking up too early thxs

[@drbonesshow1]

Next week: How to fall asleep during important meetings.

[@coryk1592]

😂

[@jaysgood10]

That’s easy.

[@GlowUpSubliminalsAU]

I’ve mastered that 😂

[@marthastrayton]

Ha ha ha! Good one!!

[@Funsoul8]

How to not fall asleep during a BIDEN speech..

[@HeronCoyote1234]

Thank you! I started the 4-7-8 breathing technique a few years ago (found it thru Dr. Weil). I’m normally a shallow breather. But I’ve noticed, after a few segments of 4-7-8, my breathing for the next few mins is deep. Also, my trick for going to sleep is to distract my brain. I do this by listening to soft ambient music or sounds for a while (my timer is set to stop playing after one hour). Yes, I can almost set my clock by what time I wake up (always to pee, no matter how much I’ve had to drink the hour before bed). So I’ll definitely try what you mentioned (no clock, don’t get up unless I have to owe, don’t get up for beverage).

[@scotchbarrel4429]

Pair this breathing technique with yoga nidra, and boom! Sleep in 20 mins. I've been doing yoga nidra for the last 1.5 years, best advice I could give anyone, and thanks to Huberman for his info on it.

[@rejoyce318]

I wish I could use the 4-7-8 breathing overnight, but my CPAP machine won't let me do that.

[@saysitallrealy791]

i agree dont get up if i get up it enforces the belief that cant sleep when at the same time my body and mind wants to sleep so i want my sleep back on track your advices is spot on thank you

[@paulinechapman5669]

Wow used to use this method years ago..did well..so well decided didn’t need the method any longer ..so happy to be reunited as was having sleep waking once again..huge thank you..🇨🇦

[@christinalee999]

Thanks for this, Dr Breus ! I sometimes will spend minutes 5-10 mins studying a photo online of a famous painting and it helps make me sleepy (usually). I know you shouldn't be watching the screen but sometimes there seem to be exceptions. (Nothing frightening - just a beautiful Matisse or someone like him). Bonus: You have another wonderful image in your head forever if you study it carefully.

[@charlottesmom]

I should try Monet...my favorite painter.

[@tjvines2011]

Loved your video!!! Trying your techniques tonight. I heard more about 4 7 8 later today on NPR, different topic, they were discussing yoga. My sleep habits are horrible and appreciate all tips. Thanks so much.

[@heatherhill9777]

Who else is here in the middle of the night

[@mirr1984]

I always found that getting lost in thought helps me to sleep, especially if it's a relaxing memory. I think it's similar to the counting sheep principle.

[@TheJanrig]

Thanks for the advice. I have another formula (that works perfectly for me...): I get into a cold shower (summer/winter), stay for some minutes, then go back to bed and sleep again in seconds. And of course I don't watch the clock !

[@newenglandgreenman]

I've struggled with this for decades, but I've made a lot of progress in recent years overcoming insomnia with some techniques. I agree with what the doctor says, but I have additional helpful tips. The fact is, I cannot get through the night without a trip to the bathroom to pee, typically around 3 or 4 a.m. The key to doing this and getting back to sleep is 1) Get up slowly and gently. 2) Do not turn on the light, practice your night vision. Most people live in an urban area with enough ambient light to see around your home without turning lights on. 3) Definitely do not look at any electronic devices. 4) Go straight to the bathroom and take care of your need. 5) Avoid thinking about stuff. Stay calm and meditative. 6) Go right back to bed. Now, after you've woken up to pee or for whatever reason, you need to relax completely and, once again, avoid thinking about anything. Especially do not think about your need to sleep. But also avoid thinking about any problems in your life, challenges at work, relationships, the state of the world. None of that. Once you are comfortably in bed, you might try the 4-7-8 breathing exercise the doctor recommends to slow your heart rate and relax. That's a fine idea. But you may also need to calm your mind. A technique that works beautifully for me is to think of any mental state that is getting in the way of my sleep while I inhale, then think about a state of calm, peace, and a still mind as I exhale. I usually think a silent mantra with each breath: As I inhale, maybe "agitation". As I exhale, maybe "calm","stillness", or "relaxation". Imagine your lungs converting the mental state that is keeping you awake into one of complete stillness of mind and relaxation. As you breathe it out, it fills your consciousness. You may notice the fatigue in your body as you do this. Relax into that fatigue, let the sleepiness overcome you. This practice has been working like a charm for me. I have gone from serious insomnia most nights of many weeks to only very rare instances where this is not enough. Typically this happens when my body is stimulated by foods that I ate the previous evening, such as rich meals or desserts. In this case, a valerian capsule helps to calm my body. But you don't want to depend on valerian as it leaves you groggy and like any drug takes a bit of a toll. Still, it is helpful as a fallback, and I do use it typically a couple of times a month, but in conjunction with breathing exercises.

[@jimrobin]

"avoid thinking about anything" .... forgive me but I did chuckle a bit when I read that. 😄

[@sl4983]

Just to mention about the "groggy", I've noticed some otc sleep meds REALLY leave you groggy on the am. On the other hand, ambien (yes ambien) leaves me feeling completely refreshed, no grogginess whatsoever. It may be because of the 3 hour half-life, it expels from the body easily.

[@debraarnold3703]

His breathing technique works for me about 50% of the time for 3am wakeups. It does take practice, and sometimes works in 2 times as long as my heart rate doesnt go up because of being freaked at the thought of being sleep deprived. It's always a hideous day with a racey adrenaline heart. Guaranteed. I take comfort in knowing I'm not the only person at work (where um...no, "working from home" isn't possible)....who slept less than 3 hours.

[@bwhog]

With regards to resting without sleeping, I learned that quite some time ago. I could survive on maybe three hours of good sleep as long as I stayed in bed resting because just laying there letting my body relax and trying to let my conscious mind shut down for the day was in itself rejuvenative. As far as turning the light on or looking at the phone, that's the worst because its stimulating your mind and undoing all the attempts at relaxation you just went through. Also, if you can, avoid the temptation to nap and make your sleep schedule very rigid. Putting your body into a solid wake/sleep rhythm is vital to good sleep and for being able to stay awake and stay focused during the rest of the day.

[@carolbenson6524]

Yep ...I fall asleep fast but here I am at 2:00 a.m. listening to you! 😅

[@mariarevoy7775]

Tank's, I will focus when weaking up during the nights feeling cool air entering my nostrils, and warm air breathing out, and see if I can go back fast a sleep again.

[@MerryMoss]

What has worked wonders for me (for both falling asleep and going _back_ to sleep) is the knowledge that just lying there and _relaxing_ is already good for you. I was told this about two months ago and it relieved a *whole* bunch of stress, allowing me to relax and feel satisfied with the amount of rest I'm already getting, and sleeping becomes easier. Now I just have to figure out how to ignore sounds from neighbours, the stress to hear _certain types_ of sounds and how to deal with the fear of someone entering the apartment to hurt me. I just can't seem to be able to get rid of this anxiety. So nowadays I go to bed around 4 a.m. - this is mostly because of all the stress factors I just mentioned, but I've also noticed how much nicer it is to sit and do my thing at night, because then it's finally quiet. I have autism and an highly sensitive (+ easily distracted) so across the day I struggle a lot when watching a series or something, because every passing car is so loud that it distract me and makes it hard to understand what I'm watching. So yeah... the nights have become a time to catch my breath in a way. I know this rhythm isn't something I should keep forever (probably) but until I get a coach who can help me and/or better housing (where I hopefully won't have people living directly above/below me) I might just keep this up for now. Any tips or thoughts are welcome, just be respectful :)

[@noemidelafuente6051]

@MerryMoss been there, try ocean sounds for deep sleep with a dark screen..it really helps drown out environmental noise..find it on KZbin 😊😉

[@0susted0]

I’m very sensitive to sounds as well (I suffer from misophonia). As a consequence, I always sleep with earplugs, which allows my nervous system to relax instead of constantly being “on the lookout” for sounds that would bother me. Of course I don’t know if you’re already using earplugs, or if perhaps using them would exacerbate your anxiety about someone entering your home? If so, another thing that would perhaps work better is putting on some sort of white noise when going to sleep. I can recommend an app called Rainy Mood, which comes with different types of soundscapes and allows you to tweak them as well. Best thing is that you can have the sound from the app running and simultaneously play sounds from other apps. I often have the app running in the background during the day to help mask out unwanted sounds, and then I can still e.g. listen to music or watch a KZbin video without having to turn it off. I hope this might be of some use to you. I wish you all the best with your sleep.

[@goolash9991]

I’m so sorry for your living situation! I too am easily jarred awake by sounds; I use a white noise machine by my bedside and it really does work. A box fan works just as well. I just cannot sleep to silence with intermittent noises here & there.

[@anaberrios6695]

Maybe you are experiencing sensory processing differences/difficulties. Try noise-cancelling ear buds, Brain Education channel videos (tapping). Secure your apartment or put an alarm.

[@lovesarita]

Hi, that sounds very difficult. Have you ever looked into the Safe and Sound protocol? Not the cheapest thing but it does have very good results, from what I've heard. You might also look into Ashwaghanda to help with anxiety and the nervous system - British Supplements do a good strong clean one (only available from their website). Practically speaking, are you using subtitles when watching TV? This can help with following what's being said even if there's car noise. Last but not least, Core Transformation sessions can help with the part of you that's "on guard" like this. Good luck!

[@humblecourageous3919]

It helps to be retired. Unlike my husband, I love to wake up and see that it is in the 3:00 a.m. range. I love the night. It is so peaceful then.

[@brusselssprout1]

Good advice, and probably works for very many people. My "sleep" (or rather lack of sleep) timeline is as described here: usually no problem falling asleep, but I never stay asleep long. I wake up because of 2 symptoms, separately or simultaneously: abdominal pains (gastric or intestinal) and/or overwhelming anguish on whatever topic (from the structural works required by the maintenance of my home to the inflation rate passing by Ukraine, global warming, and so many other wrought topics). I went through all possible tests, with no real abdominal ailment ever diagnosed. it is really the anguish that prevents me from falling back asleep and gets me to focus on the various pain points. If I simply lie there breathing as suggested here, the anguish spirals out of control, I get cold sweats, shivers, muscle contractions, picturing colliding worst case scenarios. I then get up , flick on some device and try to solve or simply reframe the triggering topic. Needless to say that digging through those rabbit holes rarely works in terms of getting back to sleep, and I stay up till breakfast and the working day. "Stop thinking about stuff" does not work for me either: the more I try to ignore those waves, the more I focus on them. I am in a constant state of exhaustion. Some medications work and manage to keep me asleep, but only for a couple of nights before my body stops reacting to them. Been going on for many years. Thought I'd throw this here in comments in case anyone else has been through similar experiences. My doctors have been of no real help beyond prescribing those medications.

[@dummy2027]

My own answer is to relax and drift into a nice fantasy. Thinking of nice things and an imaginary place where nothing bad can happen does allow me to easily drift off to sleep even after waking up.

[@jeffcorp972]

Thanks

[@gallakochar4245]

⛳️A friend of mine got long term abdominal pain and doctors could not find anything in her either. Then somebody in her office told her to try Probiotics and her pain was gone instantly… now she tries to eat little bit of fermented food everyday. Hope your liver is working fine. Get it tested. I could not sleep, if I ate too much sugar.. now I have given up all processed and white sugar. I don’t eat fruits at night. I turned Plant Based Whole Food ( PBWF) 6 months ago from vegan. So No oil, No Sugar and No processed food and very little whole grains. I don’t read any news or go binging on social media.. I know if there is important news..someone in the family or friends will send text or WhatsApp… I keep my phone in airplane mode and WiFi off.., also I don’t check the phone during sleep hrs. Happy sleep! 💤

[@georgetanos]

Don't worry...be happy...none of this stuff you're worrying about is going to matter 20 to 30 years later when you're dead anyway 🙂

[@TheresaTV1]

It sounds like you have a severe anxiety disorder. In addition to medication to treat anxiety (not just sleep medicine), you would probably benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). You have to train your brain to be able to focus on something that doesn’t cause you anxiety. For me, it was a cozy fireplace while it was snowing outside. It’s like meditation, only with a neutral image in your head instead of nothingness. The more detailed the scene, the better. Eventually, I was able to fall asleep within a minute of picturing my scene. A mantra could be substituted if you need sound to overcome intrusive thoughts. Or maybe your imaginary scene could include sound like rainfall or ocean waves. I wish you luck and I hope you can overcome this problem.

[@pedropenduko2714]

I actually learn this technique that I personally discover and everything he said is true. Whether it's short or long sleep it is worth it! I hope that helps everyone here.