The 1 thing you shouldn’t do when you wake up in the middle of the night, according to doctors

Bad dreams, blaring sirens, weak bladders — there are many reasons people can’t sleep straight from 11 at night to 7 the next morning. Doctors say it’s totally normal, but how you handle these sleep disruptions can be the difference between feeling rested and refreshed or groggy and cranky. If you want to salvage your slumber, here’s what to do — and what not to do — when you wake up in the middle of the night.

What you shouldn’t do if you wake up in the middle of the night

Check the clock

The number one, most important thing not to do when your sleep is interrupted? Check the time. As tempting as it may be to take a quick glance on the way back from the bathroom or when your mind starts to race, do not give in to the temptation.

“For occasional awakenings, avoid looking at the clock. Clock-watching can increase anxiety and make it harder to fall back asleep,” says Dr. Harneet Walia, a board-certified family physician and the medical director of sleep medicine at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

Dr. B Stephen Sanders, a board-certified men’s health physician based in Florida, suggests going a step further. “Put the clock where you can’t see it and let your alarm do its job,” he says. “Every time you check the time, you’re attempting to do the math on how many hours you have left, which feeds the anxiety loop.”

Look at your phone

Who among us is not guilty of powering up a device when sleep seems elusive? But all doctors agree here — this is a very bad habit that needs to be corrected. Dr. Bijoy E. John, a board-certified sleep physician in Nashville, Tenn., explains that the light exposure from screens signals wakefulness to the brain, which can make it even harder to fall back asleep. “Do not reach for your phone,” he urges.

Panic

Ready for some good news? Not sleeping through the night is pretty common, so resist the urge to freak out if you don’t doze back off right away.

Dr. Julia Whitaker, a board-certified sleep medicine specialist based in Colorado, says do your best to stay relaxed and calm. “Waking once or twice is normal. The real problem is the reaction. Looking at the clock and thinking, ‘Oh no, I’ll be exhausted tomorrow,’ triggers stress hormones and makes it harder to fall back asleep,” she says.

What you should do if you wake up in the middle of the night

Give your body time

Lying awake when you could (and should) be sleeping can be frustrating, but be patient, remain calm and give yourself time to slip back into a peaceful slumber.

“The goal is to get your mind back in a relaxing and restful state without stressing over the fact that you’re awake or overstimulating your mind,” says Dr. Sergio Guiteau, a board-certified physician based in Florida.

Get out of bed

The unfortunate reality is that there will be nights when falling back asleep takes longer than you’d like. When that happens, don’t force it.

“If you’ve been awake for what feels like about 20 minutes and you’re not falling back asleep, get out of bed,” Walia advises. “Return to bed only when you feel sleepy again. This helps train the brain to associate the bed with sleep rather than wakefulness or frustration.”

Relax with low-light, low-stress activities

So, should you start a scary movie or scroll TikTok at 2 a.m. when you can’t sleep? No! If you need to get out of bed to give yourself time to get tired again, doctors recommend low-light, low-stimulation activities to pass the time.

Dr. Jose Puangco, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Hoag, a health care system in Southern California, says good options include reading a few pages of a low-key book, listening to soft music or a calming podcast at low volume, doing gentle stretching, or practicing slow breathing or meditation. You can also try working on a jigsaw puzzle or knitting.

One last note…

While occasional sleep interruptions are normal, long, recurring lapses in rest are worth discussing with your doctor. “If waking up during the night becomes frequent or persistent, it may signal an underlying medical disorder and sleep disorder and should be evaluated,” Walia notes.

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