So I keep on waking up in the middle of the night and I have tried everything from medicine, to tea, and going to bed early or late. What do I do?
HELP YOURSELF
- Sleep difficulties can be very stressful and frustrating. You’re taking positive steps by reaching out to the Teen Central Community for support!
- Sometimes just not finding the right nightly routine can all affect your sleep patterns. Take a look at what you do right before bed could show you some habits that could be affecting your restlessness. Do you use electronics? Do you have a snack? Do you exercise? Your body takes a while to regulate and ‘settle in’ before it is ready to sleep, and doing any of these things too close to bed time can cause some unintentional disruption. Try writing down your routine before bed every night, and keep this sleep journal by your bed so that you can write in it when you do wake up in the middle of the night.
- Body-based relaxation techniques can be very effective in getting to, and returning to a restful state. Simple stretches, deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga are all options you can try. Check out our Tools tab for some more ideas!
- You may want to make an appointment with your doctor and let him/her know what’s going on. They will know your history, and may be able to make some valuable suggestions.
CONSIDER THIS
- Ask yourself these questions: Did you notice when this started happening? Has this been an ongoing issue for a while? When was the first time it happened? How often does it happen? Write these things down, it may be helpful to recognize patterns.
- Stress, depression, anxiety, can affect sleep. Are there things in your life causing you additional stress at this time? Have there been any recent changes in your life? Add these to your sleep journal, and see what you notice.
- Do you have a parent/ guardian that you can discuss this with? Asking them to help you and make the appointment to see your doctor is a great way to let them know that you want to take care of yourself and you’re asking for their help.
