What I do when I wake up at 2 a.m. and cannot fall back asleep
Waking up in the middle of the night is common, and a few gentle habits can make it less frustrating.
If you are reading this at two in the morning, you are probably not reading it on purpose. Maybe you woke up and your mind started running through tomorrow. I know that feeling well.
The worst thing I can do is check the time over and over. Every glance at the clock turns into math about how many hours are left, and the math only makes me more awake.
What helps me is keeping things dim and boring. I turn the clock away. I breathe slowly and count the breaths, and when I lose count, I start again at one. If I am still awake after a while, I get up, sit somewhere quiet with low light and read something plain until I feel sleepy.
I also try to be kind to myself about it. One rough night does not ruin a week. The body is good at catching up, and tomorrow will probably feel better than I fear it will. If it keeps happening for weeks, that is worth mentioning to a doctor.
Tonight, put the phone down after this, turn the clock away and let yourself rest even if sleep takes a while to come back.