Waking at night and can’t get back to sleep? 7 habits that help

You wake suddenly at 2 or 3am, your mind starts racing and you toss and turn until morning, then feel tired all day. Sleep naturally gets lighter with age, but that does not mean you just have to put up with it.

Why do we wake in the night?

• Age: there is less deep sleep, so small sounds, light or temperature changes wake you.
• Stress and worry: once awake, your mind will not switch off.
• Night-time urination: the urge to pee wakes you and it is hard to settle again.
• Caffeine and alcohol: alcohol helps you fall asleep but makes the second half of the night lighter and broken.
• Long daytime naps that take away your sleep drive.
• Physical discomfort: joint pain, acid reflux, snoring or sleep apnoea.

7 habits for better sleep

1. Get up at the same time every day, weekends too. A fixed wake-up time matters more than a fixed bedtime.
2. Get 10–20 minutes of morning sunlight to set your body clock.
3. No coffee or strong tea after 2pm, and no alcohol in the 3 hours before bed.
4. Put your phone down an hour before bed, dim the lights, and read, listen to calm music or take a warm shower.
5. Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet; use an eye mask or earplugs if needed.
6. If you are awake for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something calm in another room until you feel sleepy. Do not lie there watching the clock.
7. Keep naps under 30 minutes and before 3pm.

Regular daytime exercise, such as a 30-minute brisk walk, also helps, but avoid hard exercise in the 2–3 hours before bed.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if poor sleep has lasted more than 3 months, you nod off while driving or working, you snore loudly with pauses in breathing, or your mood has been low for a long time.

Natural support for better sleep

If better habits are not enough, a supplement with natural calming ingredients can help. D'Nitez+ contains 6 sleep-supporting ingredients, including L-theanine, chamomile, lemon balm, valerian root and natural GABA, to help you relax, reset your body clock and ease night-time trips to the toilet. It is not a sleeping pill and is not habit-forming, but it does not replace medical treatment.