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How To Fall Asleep If You Wake In The Middle Of The Night

There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, counting sheep, practically trying EVERYTHING to get back to sleep.

It leaves you feeling tired and sluggish at work the next day and it's something that sometimes even a double shot coffee can't even fix!

So what are we supposed to do when falling back to sleep seems impossible? Well, sleep expert Dr Michael Breus, also known as 'The Sleep Doctor' has provided us with the cure!

Speaking with The Independent, Dr Breus said that sleep is a "fundamental component of human life" and when we have a lack of rest, our ability to "function quickly deteriorates, and eventually crumbles."

Yep, we can definitely vouch for that one doctor.

So here is a list of 'The Sleep Doctor's' advice for getting back to dreamland:

1. DO NOT get up to go to the bathroom unless it's an emergency!

Apparently, once we get up or even sit up in bed, we raise our heart rate which is not ideal for sleeping.

Dr Breus says that your heart "must be at a very particular rate", which differs for each person but is typically around sixty beats per minute, to fall back to sleep.

He says that once you get up, it takes a while for your heart rate to settle and so you will have to wait before sleep can be achieved.

2. Relax and DO NOT check the time

I don't know about you but this is something I am definitely guilty of! Each time I wake up, almost subconsciously, I reach for my phone to check how many hours of sleep I have left before my dreaded alarm goes off.

Well according to Dr Breus, people do this because they have a fear of not getting enough sleep, which can leave you feeling agitated or anxious.

If your body does not feel relaxed, you pretty much have no hope of reaching a state of unconsciousness. (which explains why you can't sleep when you're stressing about a deadline, or exam, or interview etc.)

Hopefully you can take this advice on board tonight to get a good night's sleep for the last working day of the week!

I know I'll definitely be dreaming about the weekend...

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