Life stress waking you up at 3 a.m.? A sleep doctor shares 3 steps to beat 'adjustment insomnia'

From tomsguide.com

By Ruth Jones

Neurologist and author Dr. Pedram Navab reveals the simple routine he uses to calm stress and skip 3 a.m. wake-ups 

The end of summer is a stressful time for many of us, and if you’re suddenly waking up in the middle of the night, staring at the ceiling, you’re not alone. Many of us on the Tom’s Guide Sleep Team are in the same boat, waking up at 3 a.m. thanks to impending back-to-school routines and stresses, and other big life changes.

Neurologist and sleep medicine specialist Dr. Pedram Navab knows just what it’s like to live with broken sleep at night—a near-fatal car accident, caused by his own extreme fatigue, inspired him to dedicate his career to solving chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia.

According to Dr. Navab, author of the forthcoming new book The Alchemy of Sleep, calming stress before bed is the best way to stop waking up through the night. And you don’t need any fancy sleep tech to do it either. Here Dr. Navab reveals the simple yet effective 3-step routine he uses to calm racing thoughts, fall asleep fast, and sleep through until morning.

3-step routine for better sleep

1. Set a consistent wake time

“The most important advice that I give to my patients all the time is to keep a consistent schedule," explains Dr. Navab. "Basically, try to wake up at the same time each morning. Try to go to sleep at the same time each night."

(Image credit: Future)

Routine is the foundation of good sleep. It's even been linked to longer lifespans; a study by Vitality found going to sleep within a set one hour time frame five nights a week was a key indicator of mortality.

"Sleep likes that routine," says Dr. Navab. "That's why we do so well with a sunrise and sunset time. Because our body runs on the circadian rhythm in tune with the natural rhythm of the sun rising and sun setting."

He notes that a set wake up time allows you to "start that rhythm again." So no oversleeping, even when you're dog-tired. By getting up early, you leave plenty of time for sleepy-chemical adenosine to build up. As a result, you're more likely to drop off quickly the next night.

"Keeping that consistent schedule as much as you can is probably the biggest factor in helping you sleep better,” explains Dr. Navab.

2. Write down 3 things from your day before bed

Find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat over your to-do list? Or unable to go to bed until you've finished that one last task? Dr. Navab has a fix.

"I tell [my patients], write down one thing that went well today, one thing that could have gone better," he advises.

There's a reason why your thoughts start to race when you climb into bed. Without the hustle of day-to-day life to keep you busy, your brain is free to recall all the anxieties normally kept bubbling under the surface.

"At night, when you're lying alone, it's you and your brain, and you just start thinking," he explains. "So that's why I like the idea of writing one thing that went well, one thing that went badly, things that you could have done differently, to set that day apart. And the next day is the new day."

He describes it as the "tabula rasa" — a blank slate.

3. Get sunlight first thing

Your alarm's gone off and even though you're tired, you know if you want to keep up your new routine, you need to get out of bed.

Dr. Navab's final tip is just what's needed to feel fresher on groggy mornings: a little dose of sunshine.

"Try to get out there and get some sun when you wake up in the morning, at least half an hour," he says. "Even on cloudier days, because you're still getting a little bit of light."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

He notes that sunshine in the morning helps "reset your circadian rhythms". This is because light signals to your body clock that it's time to get up, clearing away the fatigue of sleep inertia.

Keeping healthy circadian function helps with sleep "in general", according to Dr. Navab. It's almost like winding up a watch; it keeps your internal body clock ticking along in time.

What is 'adjustment insomnia' — and why might it be behind your poor sleep?

The end of summer often brings with it a change in routine, particularly for parents and children. You have a new schedule to get used to, new routines to learn, and new pressures rearing their head.

As a result, the relaxed sleep you enjoyed all summer is now taking a downturn.

Upheaval can have a negative impact on your sleep, a phenomenon Dr. Navab describes as "adjustment insomnia." (Often known as short-term insomnia or acute insomnia.)

According to the American Medical Association, roughly one-third of Americans will experience acute insomnia in their lifetime. It can be triggered by a range of factors, with stress a frequent cause.

Following Dr. Navab's tips can help you get your sleep back to its best. And set you up with the healthy routine you need to weather the next sleep storm (...it'll be the holidays before you know it.)

When to speak to a doctor about your sleep?

If you've been experiencing long-term sleep deprivation (three months or longer), your sleep has taken a sudden downturn with no obvious cause, or you suspect you're experiencing sleep apnoea, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional.

https://www.tomsguide.com/wellness/sleep/life-stress-waking-you-up-at-3-a-m-a-sleep-doctor-shares-3-steps-to-beat-adjustment-insomnia

Why a Cooler Bedroom Temperature Helps You Sleep Better

From healthcare.utah.edu

Hot summer nights can make it harder to fall asleep—and stay asleep. If you’ve been waking up sweaty or lying awake long after bedtime, your bedroom temperature could be part of the problem.

Chitra Lal, MD,  clinical professor of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine and director of University of Utah Health’s Sleep Wake Center, has helped many patients overcome persistent sleeplessness by troubleshooting a common culprit: body temperature.

Small changes to your sleep environment, paired with simple lifestyle habits, can help you wind down and improve the quality of your rest.

Simple Habits to Help You Sleep Better

As bedtime approaches, your core body temperature naturally drops by 1–2°F. Setting your thermostat at 65–67°F can help support that process, although older adults may feel more comfortable slightly warmer—around 67–74°F.

A bedroom that is too warm can make it harder to get quality sleep by causing you to:

• Take longer to fall asleep
• Wake up more often during the night
• Get less REM and slow‑wave (deep) sleep
• Feel less rested in the morning

Your bedding matters, too. During the summer, choose breathable fabrics like cotton or linen fabrics. In colder months, switch to insulating fabrics like microfleece, but avoid using anything too warm that disrupts your body’s natural cooling process.

A cooler room works best when paired with healthy sleep habits. Lal also recommends these simple steps to help your body wind down each night:

• Keep the room dark.
• Skip caffeine within three to four hours of bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol within four to six hours of bedtime.
• Don’t watch TV or scroll on your phone in bed.
• Go to bed only when you’re ready to sleep.
• Clean your humidifier regularly if you use one.
• 
  

Time Your Light Exposure

Temperature isn’t the only thing that affects your body’s internal clock. Light exposure also plays an important role in helping your body know when it’s time to sleep—and when it’s time to wake up.

It’s true that blue light disrupts sleep, but when timed correctly, it can actually help regulate your circadian rhythm. Here’s how to use it to your benefit:

Avoid blue light before bed

Put devices away at least a couple of hours before bed or switch them to ambient/night mode. Research has shown that evening blue light:

• Delays sleep
• Pushes your internal clock later
• Makes it harder for your core temperature to drop

Use blue light in the morning

Early morning blue light can shift your circadian rhythm earlier and strengthen your natural wake‑up signal. You can find blue‑light therapy lamps at most major retail stores including pharmacies, department stores, and online shops.

https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2026/08/why-cooler-bedroom-temperature-helps-you-sleep-better 

How yoga may help you sleep better at night

From wionews.com

By Ilma Athar Ali

Story highlights

A bedtime yoga routine improves sleep quality by reducing stress and anxiety. Techniques like deep breathing and restorative postures calm the nervous system. Studies show practising gentle yoga helps individuals sleep longer and wake up less during the night.

Many adults struggle with fragmented sleep or insomnia, often turning to medications for relief. However, health experts suggest a much more natural approach. Practising gentle yoga before bed calms the nervous system and prepares the body for rest. Scientific data shows that a consistent evening routine can significantly improve the duration and quality of your sleep.

Lowering stress and anxiety before bed

Modern medicine often focuses on treating insomnia symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes, such as chronic stress. Yoga facilitates sleep by directly reducing stress, anxiety, and arousal, which are known causes of poor rest. A national survey reported that over 55 per cent of people who practice yoga found that it helped them get better sleep, while over 85 per cent said it helped reduce stress. The mindful breathing involved in the practice allows your brain to transition into a relaxed state, making it much easier to drift off.

                                                                              Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)

Improving sleep duration and quality

Committing to an evening routine offers long-term benefits over taking sleep medications. A study monitoring a 30-minute evening breathing and meditation practice found that, after eight weeks, participants slept an average of 36 minutes longer each night. The researchers also noted that participants woke up less frequently during the night, improving their overall sleep quality by 11 per cent. According to recent findings by Johns Hopkins Medicine, practising yoga daily can reduce insomnia, helping individuals get into the right mindset to fall asleep and stay asleep.

3 simple postures for better rest

You do not need to be flexible or engage in complicated movements to see results. Hatha or restorative yoga styles are best for pre-sleep routines. Try these three basic movements before getting into bed:

Legs up the wall (Viparita Karani): Lie flat on your back and rest your extended legs straight up against a wall. This simple pose helps recirculate your blood flow. Hold the pose and breathe deeply for one or two minutes.

Child's pose (Balasana): Kneel on the floor, bring your big toes together, and sink your torso onto your thighs. This posture releases shoulder tension and provides a sense of calm and stability.

Corpse pose (Savasana): Lie completely flat on your back with your arms and legs straight. Focus entirely on taking slow, even breaths until you feel completely relaxed from head to toe.

Taking drugs to help you sleep is not a reliable long-term solution. By dedicating a few minutes to mindful breathing and restorative poses, you train your mind and body to relax naturally. This gentle evening habit ensures you wake up feeling genuinely rested and prepared for the day ahead.

https://www.wionews.com/health-and-wellness/how-yoga-may-help-you-sleep-better-at-night-1786902371854

How Better Sleep Hygiene Supports Your Mind and Body—and Steps to Improve Yours

From realsimple.com

Sleep experts explain what sleep hygiene really means—and how small changes to your routine and environment can lead to better rest and better health 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Sleep hygiene is about daily habits and bedroom environment—not just how long you sleep.
• Consistent bedtimes, limiting screens, and reserving your bed for sleep can dramatically improve sleep quality.
• Small, gradual changes to your routine are more effective than overhauling everything at once.

When we think of having good hygiene, our first thoughts go to showering daily, flossing and brushing our teeth, and wearing clean clothes. Sleep hygiene, however, is a little bit different from the typical grooming and cleanliness of everyday hygiene. In other words, it has nothing to do with washing your sheets (which you should be doing weekly and is also very important!). 

What Is Sleep Hygiene?

Credit:

Emmanuel Faure/Getty Images

Sleep hygiene refers to a general set of practices, habits, and strategies aimed at promoting good quality sleep and preventing sleep problems, says licensed psychologist Luke Allen, PhD. “These practices include both behavioural and environmental factors that can impact sleep quality,” he explains.

How exactly does sleep hygiene work, and what actionable steps can you take to have better sleep hygiene, and therefore better nightly rest? Here’s what sleep experts have to say about what sleep hygiene actually means, and how to develop and maintain healthy sleep habits for life.

Why Sleep Hygiene Matters

Since we spend one-third of our lives sleeping (or attempting to do so), the steps we take to promote good, restorative rest are essential to overall wellness. “Up to one in three Americans experience insomnia at some point each year, and a third of them suffer on a nightly basis,” says Robert Satriale, MD, FAASM, a sleep medicine specialist at Temple University. “Good sleep habits are known to improve sleep quality, and sleep quality is important in regulation of blood pressure, maintaining cognitive function and control of blood sugar.”

Plus, Dr. Satriale says that getting good sleep reduces chronic pain and even risk of cancer. That’s why Allen believes sleep hygiene isn’t just about sleep. “I emphasize the importance of good sleep hygiene to virtually every client I work with,” he says. “It’s fundamental to physical and mental health.” 

Allen also says good sleep hygiene can make it much easier to fall asleep when you want to, and can help your body (and brain) learn how to associate your bed with sleep.

What Poor Sleep Hygiene Looks Like

Unfortunately, there seem to be more ways to have poor sleep hygiene than good sleep hygiene sometimes. Consuming caffeine or other stimulants before bed, sleeping in an uncomfortable or hot environment, having an irregular sleep schedule (going to bed and waking up at different times each day), working in bed, and eating heavy meals before bedtime are also considered poor sleep hygiene, Allen says. Even foods like chocolate, some sodas, and teas contain hidden caffeine. Spicy foods can exacerbate upper gastrointestinal discomfort; and high-fat, sugar-filled foods can disrupt sleep as well. 

Having devices that emit blue light in your bedroom, like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and e-readers, can disrupt your sleep cycle and are arguably the biggest culprits behind poor sleep hygiene. 

“Many adults may not consider the consequences of staying up late to watch a few extra episodes of a TV show, or indulging in a midnight snack or extra glass of wine, but these habits significantly detract from overall sleep quality,” says Dr. Satriale. “Falling asleep with the television on is another bad sleep habit, as studies show that even low levels of light and intermittent noise contribute to poor quality of sleep.”

And as great as it feels to sleep in, it’s another driving factor in poor sleep hygiene. “Sleeping in may seem like a privilege adults have earned, but our circadian rhythms become too fragile to tolerate such extravagances, making this poor sleep habit loaded with unfortunate consequences,” he says.

What Good Sleep Hygiene Looks Like

There are some widely agreed upon practices, habits, and strategies for following good sleep hygiene. The biggest guiding principle is to only use your bed for the three “S’s”: sleep, sickness, or sex. 

This means habits like eating, working, texting/scrolling, and watching TV should be done anywhere but your bed (the living room couch or kitchen table are much better choices). “The more you do other things [besides sleep] in bed, the harder it is for your body to associate bed with sleep,” Allen says. “In fact, most mental health professionals I know do not keep a TV in their bedrooms.”

In addition to practicing the three “S’s”, the number one thing you can do for good sleep hygiene is to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day of the week, according to Allen. 

“You can receive the biggest return on investment by adopting this strategy,” he says. “If there are days you go to bed late or get little sleep, continuing to wake up at the same time every day regardless will help maintain your sleep schedule, as your sleep drive will naturally build throughout the day.” This means the next night, you’ll want to go to bed at a reasonable time. 

Other good sleep hygiene habits include avoiding taking too many naps, especially long ones or too late in the afternoon (which can make it harder to sleep at night), getting regular exercise during the day, get some natural light as soon as you can after waking up, daytime exercising and trying relaxing activities before bed, like bedtime yoga or taking a warm bath (which has been scientifically proven to help you get to sleep more quickly).

Allen also recommends investing in high-quality products that help you sleep well (everyone needs different things). “We spend a third of our life sleeping, so it’s wise to invest in a comfortable sleep environment that’s cool, dark, and quiet.” This includes comfortable bedding and pillows, maybe cooling bedding for hot sleepers, solid shades to block light, good earplugs or a sound machine for those with noisy neighbours.

How to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

Worried you have less-than-stellar sleep hygiene? Don’t worry. Like any habit you’re trying to break and/or adopt, you can always turn things around with a little practice and patience. The key, Allen explains, is taking baby steps, especially if you’re used to, say, watching TV in bed or even snacking in bed. 

“Trying to make drastic changes to one’s sleep routine all at once can be challenging and overwhelming,” he says, “which can lead to frustration or giving up on the goal.” Instead, use a slow-and-steady approach to create change. Once you’ve started breaking these behaviours, you can then replace them with new, sleep-promoting habits. 

A great place to start? Choose one or two of your subpar sleep habits to work on. For example, if you always watch TV before bed, try turning it off 20 or 30 minutes earlier and opening up a book to read a few pages before lights-out. Once you’re used to cracking open a book as the last thing you do before bed, start turning the TV off a little bit earlier, and a little bit earlier, gradually. Do you drink caffeinated tea in the evenings or soda with dinner? Switch to more soothing, caffeine-free options—or just hit the water instead. 

“One key to success is monitoring and logging your progress daily,” Allen recommends. “You can use a habit tracker app, an Excel spreadsheet, or notes on your phone.”

https://www.realsimple.com/how-to-improve-your-sleep-hygiene-12035777