12/03/2026
It’s day three of my Sleep Awareness Week posts! It’s a bit of a read today and hopefully you find something that may help you 🩷
Today is all about what we can do when sleep doesn’t happen like we had hoped!
When you have the perfect sleep environment for you, and your pre bed routine is good and you wake up, or even worse, are still awake at 3am staring at the ceiling?
Here are some tips on how you can get back into slumber.
🩷 Try the 4-7-8 breathing method – Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. It’s like a natural sleep aid!
🩷 Keep the lights low – Bright lights tell your brain it’s wake-up time. Use dim lighting if you need to get up.
🩷 Sip something soothing – A small glass of warm milk or herbal tea can help, but avoid caffeine.
🩷 Brain dump your thoughts – If your mind is racing, get back to your journal, write down what’s bothering you and let it go until morning.
🩷 Cool down – A slightly cooler room helps your body settle back into sleep mode.
🩷 Try white noise or a sleep story – A soothing sound or a boring audiobook might lull you right back to sleep!
🩷 Don’t force it – If you’re awake for more than 20 minutes, get up and do something calming (reading, stretching—not scrolling TikTok).
The morning after a restless night, try not to turn your lack of sleep into a drama - it just makes you feel worse! We’ve all been there—tossing, turning, and waking up feeling like we barely slept.
If a good night’s rest didn’t happen, here are some ways to power through the day:
🩷 Go easy on the caffeine – An extra cup of coffee is fine, but chugging multiple will lead to a crash. Hydrate with water too!
🩷 Get moving – A brisk walk or some stretching, no matter how much you don’t feel like it, can boost circulation and wake you up. If you would normally exercise in the morning, try not to skip it - just maybe take it a little easier if you need to.
🩷 Soak in the sunlight – easier said that done here in the UK some days! Natural light helps reset your body clock and improves alertness.
🩷 Eat smart – Skip the heavy, greasy foods and go for protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs for steady energy.
🩷 Take a power nap (if you can) – 10-20 minutes is the sweet spot for a quick refresh without grogginess.
🩷 Plan for better sleep the next night – review your pre-bed routine! Wind down early, avoid screens before bed, and create a cozy sleep environment.
There you have it, my tips on how to try and get back to sleep and how to deal with your day if that didn’t happen.
What usually keeps you up at night and what’s your go-to survival trick after a restless night?