When Should You Get Out of Bed If You Can’t Sleep? Insomnia

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If you struggle to fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes after going to bed, get out of bed and indulge in relaxing activities until you feel drowsy.

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is either difficulty falling asleep or waking up too early; either way, you are deprived of sleep.

If you struggle to fall asleep within 15 to 20 minutes after going to bed, then instead of fighting your insomnia, get out of bed and move to another room. Indulge in relaxing activities until you feel drowsy, and then, return to bed.

• Waiting to go to bed until you get drowsy will help you obtain a sound sleep without any disturbance.
• It is important to remain calm when falling back to sleep.
• Do not indulge in heavy exercises or expose yourself to bright light.

Sleep deprivation keeps you tired all day long. You may suffer from sleepless nights at some point in your life; however, if it occurs too often, consult your doctor.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sleep deprivation or sleeping less than seven hours a day is most common if you suffer from obesity, are physically inactive, or smoke. Data suggested that 35 percent of adults in the United States get less than seven hours of sleep.

6 ways to improve sleep

Researchers have identified several routines and behaviors called "sleep hygiene" that can assist anybody to maximize the hours they spend sleeping, including those whose sleep is disrupted by insomnia, jet lag, or shift work.

Sleep hygiene may appear dull, but it can be the most effective strategy to obtain the sleep you require.

1. Create ideal environment
   • The ideal sleeping temperature, according to science, is 60 to 67°F, so try to maintain a cool temperature in your bedroom.
   • Sometimes, you may not be able to manage the temperature. Instead, take steps to maintain your body at the ideal temperature. If it is hot, keep a fan close to your face and body. You could cover yourself with a soft blanket if the room is too cold.
   • A dark room promotes good sleep, so turn off the lights and close all the curtains to train the brain that it is sleeping time. Maintain proper ventilation and use comfortable beddings.
2. Relax with a pre-sleep routine
   • Indulging in a soothing pre-sleep routine helps relax your mind and promotes good sleep. With these activities, your mind and body relax, which reduces both physical and emotional stress and induces sleep.
   • Pre-sleep routine can include:
     • Reading a book
     • Listening to music
     • Taking a bath
     • Talking to your loved ones
     • Meditation
     • Breathing exercises
     • Listening to nature sounds
     • Thinking positive thoughts
3. Finish incomplete business
   • If you discover that anything is bothering you and keeping you up, do not just pretend it will go away. Whether it is saving an important email for the morning, scribbling down some thoughts for your forthcoming presentation, or even taking out the trash before you forget, getting it done before bedtime will make it a lot easier to sleep.
4. Take early meals
   • Keeping your stomach full while sleeping may cause indigestion, which disrupts your sleep. Eat light food early in the evening two to three hours before bedtime. This helps you get good sleep. Avoid having a spicy or fatty dinner.
   • Keeping yourself well hydrated cools down your body and prevents you from waking up due to thirst. However, avoid taking excess water right before sleep because it may increase your visits to the bathroom during the middle of your sleep.
5. Exercise early
   • Exercise helps maintain a good sleep-wake cycle, but intense exercises right before sleep activate your brain and body and keep you from getting sleep. 
   • Exercise increases core body temperature and makes you alert, which may interfere with sleep.
6. Train your mind to sleep and wake up at the same time
   • Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day trains the body's "internal clock" to anticipate sleep at the same time every night.
   • To avoid a Monday morning sleep hangover, try to keep to your pattern as much as possible on weekends.
   • Waking up at the same time every day is the most effective approach to set your clock. Even if you did not sleep well the night before, the increased sleep drive will help you consolidate sleep the next night.

4 things to avoid before bedtime

1. Brain stimulants
   • Brain stimulants, such as caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other substances, must be avoided. Though it is believed that alcohol makes you drowsy, it disrupts the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of the sleep cycle, which hinders the quality of night sleep and causes drowsiness in the daytime.
2. Turn on lights
   • Do not switch on the lights to read because light affects the amount of melatonin you make. Melatonin is a hormone that governs your sleep-wake cycle. Putting the lights on tells your body it is time to wake up rather than sleep.
3. Screen time
   • Do not use phones or any other screens right before sleep. The blue light that is emitted from the screens has a drastic effect on the production of melatonin, which interrupts sleep.
4. Sleeping pills
   • Sleeping pills are addictive drugs. Once you start taking them, your brain fixates that you cannot go to sleep without taking them. This makes you upset and increases your stress levels, which impacts your sleep. Take them only if prescribed by your doctor.

You must consult a doctor for appropriate treatment if you suffer from insomnia daily. If left untreated, it may pose various other complications and may even impact your health.