Waking during the night is normal and isn't something you should be worried about

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLjMyOW9Gelhtd0VN

So many people with chronic insomnia are very worried and concerned about waking during the night — but waking during the night is actually quite normal.<br /><br />People who sleep well naturally wake during the night (wakefulness is actually part of sleep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOom8SlrvJQ) and this typically occurs between sleep cycles — and especially in the second half of the night when we tend to get most of our lighter sleep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AixNyAAXbqA).<br /><br />The difference between good sleepers and people with insomnia is how they respond to these awakenings. <br /><br />Someone who has no problem with sleep will typically fall back to sleep very quickly because they don't worry about the awakening or think that it's anything unusual. They probably won't even remember waking during the night.<br /><br />Someone with insomnia, however, might worry about the fact they woke up and immediately worry about whether or not they'll be able to fall asleep.<br /><br />Unfortunately, as soon as you worry about sleep, you make sleep more difficult.<br /><br />So, if you are worried about waking during the night, please recognize that it is a normal part of sleep. If, after waking, you find it hard to fall back to sleep, it's a good idea to get out of bed until you feel sleepy again. When you feel sleepy again, return to bed and repeat the process (this is part of a CBT-I technique known as stimulus control).<br /><br />More about CBT-I in these videos:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjkXES_oPTg<br />https://www.facebook.com/insomniacoach/videos/550636648792812/<br /><br />More on stimulus control in these videos:<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ndAEIjZ7IA<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os--hSZwRLk<br /><br />Note: If you regularly wake during the night but fall back to sleep quite quickly, have been told that you snore loudly, you wake with a gasp or choking sound, or you wake in the morning with a dry mouth and headache, you could have sleep apnea. If you recognize any of these symptoms, you should speak with your doctor.<br /><br />You can also take a self-assessment test for sleep apnea here:<br /><br />http://www.stopbang.ca/osa/screening.php<br /><br />▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube042919<br /><br />You can also find me here:<br /><br />Website: https://insomniacoach.com<br />Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach<br />Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach<br />Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/<br /><br />All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.<br /><br />#insomnia<br />#sleep

Insomnia Coach 2.3K views April 29, 2019 7:15 pm

So many people with chronic insomnia are very worried and concerned about waking during the night — but waking during the night is actually quite normal.

People who sleep well naturally wake during the night (wakefulness is actually part of sleep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOom8SlrvJQ) and this typically occurs between sleep cycles — and especially in the second half of the night when we tend to get most of our lighter sleep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AixNyAAXbqA).

The difference between good sleepers and people with insomnia is how they respond to these awakenings.

Someone who has no problem with sleep will typically fall back to sleep very quickly because they don’t worry about the awakening or think that it’s anything unusual. They probably won’t even remember waking during the night.

Someone with insomnia, however, might worry about the fact they woke up and immediately worry about whether or not they’ll be able to fall asleep.

Unfortunately, as soon as you worry about sleep, you make sleep more difficult.

So, if you are worried about waking during the night, please recognize that it is a normal part of sleep. If, after waking, you find it hard to fall back to sleep, it’s a good idea to get out of bed until you feel sleepy again. When you feel sleepy again, return to bed and repeat the process (this is part of a CBT-I technique known as stimulus control).