Although I don't usually have a difficult time falling asleep, I often wake up three hours later and can't GET BACK to sleep. I've found these simple tricks help me nod off again:
1. GET UP. If I lie in bed wide awake for more than twenty minutes, it means I'm not likely to doze off again without help. If I get up for even half an hour, I can usually go back to sleep when I return to bed.
2. DRINK MILK. Because milk contains calcium, which coats our nerves, drinking even a small glass can help us relax when we're wound up. And I've discovered it doesn't need to be warm; cold milk does the trick just as well.
3. READ. Usually I read the Bible when I'm awake in the middle of the night. Sometimes I read a novel or emails. But God's Word, especially the Psalms, soothes my soul like nothing else.
4. PRAY. My favorite wakefulness prayer is to go through the alphabet, bringing a praise or a prayer for each letter. A can equal "All your blessings;" B may be "Brenda's health;" C might be "our Church," and so on. I rarely make it past P before I'm asleep.
What ways have you found useful to GET BACK to sleep if you awaken in the night?
I love your prayer idea, of going through the alphabet. I do count to try to get back to sleep. Like you, I also wake up about three hours after falling asleep and sometimes do just get up. I know I do sleep better generally if I dd some kind of exercise that day--even just a half hour walk.
ReplyDeletegreat tips
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanette! I usually sleep through the nights just fine, but there are a few a month when I just can't. I get up after about 30 minutes, knowing I'm not going to have success just then. I watch TV, think about my list of things to do tomorrow, stuff like that.
ReplyDeleteI like your prayer idea (like Lynn). It would be more calming then TV or lists! And why not use the time to talk to God? Thank you for that great idea :)
Blessings,
Ceil