ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Sleep expert warns of common mistakes people make when waking up in middle of the night

Home> News> Health

Published 21:09 11 Dec 2023 GMT

Sleep expert warns of common mistakes people make when waking up in middle of the night

Dr Biquan Luo shared her big no-no's for people who wake up during the night.

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Some people could kip on a washing line and wake up feeling refreshed, but others aren't so lucky and can barely catch a wink.

Wherever you fall on the sleeping spectrum, you're bound to have experienced waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to doze back off.

The stark realisation that no one else is awake, it's pitch black and you might not squeeze in some more shut-eye before the morning comes can be quite the jolt.

Advert

Tossing and turning will do you no good - you're destined to just lie there waiting for you're alarm to go off and signal it's time to start the day.

But according to a sleep expert, there are a few factors which contribute to you being unable to slip back into your slumber.

If you're making one of these common mistakes when you stir in the dead of night, Dr Biquan Luo says you are essentially setting yourself up for failure.

The CEO of LumosTech, a company which creates smart sleep masks to encourage healthy circadian rhythms, shared her massive no-nos for those experiencing a brief bout of insomnia.

There are certain things you shouldn't do when you wake up during the night.
Getty stock images

She explained there are various reasons that someone's sleep may suddenly be disturbed, such as stress, anxiety or pain and even environmental interferences such as noise, movement and temperature.

Some people also suffer from sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, which can cause them to routinely wake up during the night.

But 'disruption of the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle' can also cause broken sleep, according to Dr Luo.

Sharing her tips for getting your head back down, the expert told the New York Post: "When you wake up in the middle of the night, it’s best to stay in bed at first, try to relax, and see if you can fall asleep again.

"If you can’t fall back asleep after 10 or 15 minutes, it’s time to get out of bed.

Dr Biquan Luo shared her tips for getting back off to sleep.
Getty stock images

"Try going to a quiet and comfortable place at home, like the couch, and engage in a quiet, low-stimulation activity, such as reading a book or doing a calming activity, until you feel sleepy again — then return to bed."

Breathing exercises, white noise machines and progressive relaxation can also aid your mission to get back to the Land of Nod too, Dr Luo said.

But what you mustn't do is roll over and look at the clock or reach for your phone when your rest has been interrupted, as you are essentially shooting yourself in the foot.

The expert explained: "Checking the time can increase stress and make it harder to sleep.

"Additionally, if you check the time on your phone, the contents of the phone may be too stimulating, which further prevents you from relaxing and falling asleep."

Featured Image Credit: Getty stock images

Topics: Health, Sleep

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Recommended reads

Skin expert explains huge rise of adults getting acne in their twenties(Getty Stock Images)Storage Wars’ Darrell Sheets made huge find inside $3,000 locker in one of show's best momentsA&EUFO researcher David Wilcock found dead at 53(Youtube/David Wilcock)What happens now as Trump administration reclassify cannabisGetty Stock Images

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • (Getty Stock Images)
    7 hours ago

    Skin expert explains huge rise of adults getting acne in their twenties

    Struggling with acne as an adult? This could be why

    News
  • (Youtube/David Wilcock)
    7 hours ago

    UFO researcher David Wilcock found dead at 53

    David Wilcock, a prominent UFO researcher and YouTuber, died at his home in Colorado

    News
  • Getty Stock Images
    8 hours ago

    What happens now as Trump administration reclassify cannabis

    The change will benefit some people, but it doesn't legalise marijuana

    News
  • (Facebook)
    8 hours ago

    Healthy mum, 56, to end life at Swiss clinic after losing her only son

    Wendy Duffy has flown out to a clinic in Switzerland to end her life

    News
  • Doctor warns waking up at 3am every night ‘not normal’ and you could need medical attention
  • Expert explains real reasons you keep waking up at 4am
  • Expert reveals what your brain is trying to tell you when experiencing most common dreams
  • Doctor explains common sleeping position that can make you age quicker