There’s nothing worse than being absolutely exhausted and still not being able to fall asleep. Before you know it, it’s 3 a.m., and you’re calculating how many hours of sleep you can squeeze in before your alarm goes off. As if worrying about how tired you’ll be tomorrow is going to help.
If this happens at least three nights a week, you could be dealing with acute insomnia. According to a recent Psychology Today article, it can last anywhere from a few days to three months. After that, it’s considered chronic. Research says roughly one-third of Americans experience acute insomnia during a given year.
Stress, jet lag, a breakup, or a newborn who hasn’t discovered the joys of sleeping through the night can all contribute. And after several sleepless nights, worrying about sleep can become yet another reason you’re awake.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, and there’s evidence it could help with shorter bouts, too. In a 2015 trial involving 40 adults, 60% of those who received a single CBT-I session and a self-help pamphlet were in remission after a month, compared with 15% in the control group.
Here are five strategies that could help you get some sleep.
1. Skip the Afternoon Nap
Your brain accumulates a chemical called adenosine throughout the day, making you increasingly sleepy. Napping reduces some of that sleep pressure, so you might find yourself wide awake again at bedtime.
As tempting as a midafternoon nap sounds after a previously sleepless night, skipping it could actually help. Of course, if you’re struggling to stay awake before driving, safety comes first. Take a short nap.
2. Give Yourself an Hour to Unwind
You can’t spend the evening answering work emails, worrying about tomorrow, and scrolling through increasingly depressing news, then expect to fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow.
Try giving yourself an hour before bed to read, stretch, take a bath, or listen to an audiobook. The idea is to give your body some time to relax before attempting to sleep.
3. Don’t Go to Bed Just Because It’s Bedtime
If you’re wide awake at 10 p.m., climbing into bed and hoping you’ll magically fall asleep probably isn’t going to work. Over time, lying awake in bed can teach your brain to associate the bedroom with frustration instead of sleep.
Wait until you’re actually drowsy. Heavy eyelids, repeated yawning, and struggling to finish a chapter are better indicators than whatever time your alarm clock says.
4. Get Out of Bed if You Can’t Sleep
After about 20 minutes of tossing and turning, get up. Head to the couch, grab a book, and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again.
Just don’t spend those 20 minutes staring at the clock. A 2023 Indiana University study involving nearly 4,800 sleep clinic patients found an association between checking the time at night, worse insomnia, and greater use of sleep aids. Researcher Spencer Dawson suggested people cover their clocks and take off their smartwatches.
5. Wake Up at the Same Time Every Morning
This one’s hard after a night of terrible sleep, but keeping a consistent wake-up time helps regulate your body’s internal clock. And sorry, that includes weekends. Sleeping until noon on Sunday might sound fantastic, but it could make falling asleep Sunday night even harder.
If insomnia continues or starts interfering with your daily life, talk to a healthcare professional about CBT-I. There’s no reason to wait three months to get help.
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