Watching the Clock? How to Stay Calm and Get to Sleep Faster

Waking several times through the night is normal. Being fully alert and worrying about falling back asleep is not. Knowing what to do—and what not to do—when it does happen, however, can make the difference between getting back on track and lying awake for hours.

Waking through the night
Because sleep patterns cycle between deep REM sleep and lighter stages of sleep about every 90 minutes, it's quite common to wake up during transitions.

Most people, when in a dark room, don't consciously realize they've woken and can roll right over and back to sleep, says Joyce Walsleben, PhD, associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine.

But if you're already anxious about sleep or if a digital clock happens to catch your eye, you may find yourself lying awake longer, watching the minutes tick by.

The clock as an enemy
When you do find yourself awake long before the sun comes up, chances are the first thing you do is actually the worst thing for your insomnia: You check the time.

"The clock serves as a wake prompt," says Walsleben. "It heightens your arousal level and ruins the night. You should set the alarm clock and put it out of sight. If the bell hasn't gone off, it's none of your business what time it is; roll over and go back to sleep."

If you're worried about waking up mid-sleep, hide your clock before bed. Put it in a drawer or under your bed. As frustrating as it is, resisting the urge to peek is an important step in overcoming the clock's hold.