Here’s what actually helps 👇
How to calm down right now
1. Stop clock-watching
Checking the time triggers stress (“I’m losing sleep!”). If you’ve already looked, turn the clock away.
2. Breathe to shut off the stress response
Try this for 2–3 minutes:
Physiological sigh
-
Inhale through your nose
-
Take a short second sip of air
-
Long, slow exhale through your mouth
This tells your nervous system you’re safe—fast.
3. Relax the body, not the mind
-
Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw
-
Let your tongue rest on the floor of your mouth
-
Keep your body warm (cool body = alert brain)
Sleep often returns when you stop trying to sleep.
4. If thoughts are racing
Give your brain something boring and neutral:
-
Count breaths
-
Picture a familiar place in detail
-
Repeat: “Nothing to solve right now”
If you’re awake ~20 minutes and frustrated, get up briefly and do something dull in dim light. Go back to bed when sleepy.
What NOT to do
-
❌ Scroll your phone
-
❌ Mentally plan tomorrow
-
❌ Drink alcohol to fall back asleep
-
❌ Panic about being tired
How to stay energized the next day (even on poor sleep)
Morning
-
Get sunlight within 30 minutes of waking
-
Eat protein at breakfast
-
Caffeine only in the morning, not all day
Midday
-
Light movement > naps
-
If needed: 20-minute nap max, before 2 p.m.
Evening reset
-
Eat a balanced dinner (protein + carbs)
-
Dim lights after dinner
-
Go to bed at your normal time—don’t chase sleep
One bad night won’t break you. Stress about it will.
Why this keeps happening
Common causes:
-
Stress or emotional load
-
Blood sugar dips overnight
-
Alcohol or late caffeine
-
Hormonal shifts
-
Naturally lighter sleep in early morning hours
If this happens most nights, there’s usually a fixable root cause.
Reassuring truth
Your body still knows how to sleep.
The trick is getting out of its way 😌
If you want, tell me:
-
what time you usually wake up
-
whether your mind or body wakes first
-
stress level lately
I can tailor this into a personal middle-of-the-night reset plan 🌙