How to Stay Asleep

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1Establishing a Sleep-Focused Bedroom

2Getting Ready for Bed

3Sticking to a Routine

4Getting Sleepy Again

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Tips and Warnings

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Article Summary

If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both, then you may have insomnia. Insomnia can lead to you not getting enough sleep, which isn't any fun. The best way to fall and stay asleep is to create the best possible conditions for sleeping, including making your bedroom a sleeping sanctuary, creating a bedtime routine that helps you get to sleep, and establishing a sleeping schedule. If you do happen to wake up, you can take a few steps to try to get sleepy again.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Establishing a Sleep-Focused Bedroom

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   Install blinds and blackout curtains to block out the light. The early morning sun can wake you up before you're ready to get out of bed. Even street lights or the lights from a neighbor's home can disrupt your sleep. Therefore, it's best to create a light-free zone. Blinds will eliminate some light, but adding light-blocking curtains is even better.

   • If you don't have a curtain rod installed, try a tension rod. You could also simply use thumbtacks to hold a curtain in place around the window.
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   Make your bedroom just for sleeping. Your bedroom has two main functions: it's a place to sleep and have sex. That's it. Keep other activities, including watching television and playing on your phone, out of the bedroom, as they can keep you from getting the solid sleep you need.
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   Pick serene artwork and color schemes to create a calming sanctuary. Your room should be a peaceful place for you. The color schemes, artwork, and bedding should all say "calm" to you, so try to choose colors and patterns that make you feel serene.

   • Decluttering your space can also be helpful, as clutter can stress you out.
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   Cool down your room to 65 °F (18 °C). Typically, a cooler room is better for sleeping than a warmer room. Your room should be at about 65 °F (18 °C) for the best night's sleep. Otherwise, you might wake up in the night due to the room being too warm.
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   Choose a comfortable mattress and bedding. Your mattress, pillows, and bedding affect your sleep as well. They should feel comfortable to you. No one mattress will be comfortable for everyone, so pick something that feels good to you.
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   Use white noise to block out ambient noises. White noise creates a constant background noise to help block out other noises that may wake you up. You can use a white noise machine, an app on your smartphone, or even a fan to create a consistent sound.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Getting Ready for Bed

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   Lower the lights in the house before bed. When you're getting ready for bed, it's best to keep the lights around you as dim as possible in the hour before you go to bed. Lights tell you to wake up, the opposite of what you want your body to do. Similarly, when you wake up to use the bathroom at night, keep the lights off if possible.
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   Turn off your electronics an hour before bed. If you're like many people, you likely play on your phone or watch television right before bed. However, the light from these devices can be particularly bad for sleep. They can have a disrupting effect on your sleep cycle, making it difficult for you to fall or stay asleep. Turn these devices off at least an hour before bed.
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   Go to bed when you're actually sleepy. If you're not sleepy when you go to bed, you may have trouble falling asleep. If you fall asleep, you may have trouble staying asleep. Try a quiet activity to get you in the mood for sleep before you need to go to bed.

   • For instance, you could try reading a book or meditating.
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   Try a sleep supplement. While most over-the-counter sleep aids don't help much with staying asleep, some natural sleep supplements may be beneficial. Melatonin is a hormone that may help regulate your sleep schedule. Another supplement, valerian, is an herb that may help you fall and stay asleep.

   • Always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements.
   • A higher dose of an over-the-counter sleep aid is not always more effective than a lower dose, even though the supplements are sold in high and low doses. A sustained-release melatonin usually allows you to stay asleep longer.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Sticking to a Routine

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   Wake up and go to bed at the same time each day. Staying on a sleeping schedule will help you go to sleep and stay asleep because your body learns to expect sleep at a certain hour. If you have trouble remembering to go to bed at night, set an alarm an hour before you need to be in bed.
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   Skip napping during the day. When you nap during the day, you may have a harder time staying asleep at night. Try to avoid dozing off in the afternoon, so that you fall asleep and stay asleep when you go to bed.

   • If you really need a nap, make it a 20 to 30 minute long nap. This can improve your mood, alertness, and performance.
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   Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages afternoon. Having caffeine after noon can affect your sleep at night, even causing you to wake up in the middle of the night. Similarly, too much alcohol at night can affect your sleep, so stick to a single drink in the evening. Make sure to indulge several hours before you go to sleep.
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   Stop smoking. The nicotine in cigarettes can interfere with your sleep schedule. If you're a smoker and you find your schedule isn't as regular as you'd like it to be, you should consider quitting.

   • If you can't quit, try reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke, particularly near bedtime.
5. 
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   Get in 30 minutes of exercise each day. Exercise helps tire your body out, making it easier to go to sleep and stay asleep. However, make sure not to exercise in the 30 minutes right before you go to bed, as it gets your blood pumping, making it harder to sleep.

   • Even 10 minutes of light aerobic exercise can improve your sleep quality. Try walking or cycling.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Getting Sleepy Again

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   Get up after 20 minutes when you wake up in the night. When you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall back asleep, your first response is likely to just lay there trying to sleep. However, if you haven't fallen back asleep in 20 minutes, it's best to go do something else that will make you sleepy. For instance, try reading a book to make yourself sleepy.

   • If you find yourself laying wide awake for more than a couple of minutes, get up and go do something else. You don't have to time it exactly.
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   Hide the clock so you won't worry about the time. You need a clock in your room so you can get up on time. However, if you keep it where you can see it from your bed, you may find that it creates anxiety. When you wake up in the middle of the night and need to go back to sleep, watching the clock and thinking "I need to go back to sleep" can increase stress. Hiding the clock reduces this anxiety. Plus, the light from the clock can keep you up if you don't hide it.
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   Don't pick up your smartphone. It can be tempting to turn to your smartphone when you can't sleep. However, the light from your phone will only wake you up more. Stick to an activity that doesn't require much light.
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   Try a relaxation technique like deep breathing. Try breathing in through your nose to the count of 7, then breathing out through your mouth to the count of 8. As you breathe deeply, try clearing your head of all thoughts by focusing just on your breathing.

   • You can try meditation, as well.
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Tips

• Talk to your doctor if your lack of sleep is affecting your life and before taking any supplements.
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Warnings

• Driving drowsy or fatigued is dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. Don't drive when you're sleepy.
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