Wake up less often at night: 7 tips for sleeping through the night

Tip No. 1: Get Ready for Bed with the Right Pyjamas

Has this ever happened to you? You fall asleep in the evening only to find yourself having to change your clothes in the middle of the night because your pyjamas are sweaty, feel uncomfortable or simply do not fit properly?

To support sleeping through the night, there is one simple tip: make sure you feel as comfortable as possible during the night.

Choose your pyjamas according to the season – and not just in terms of sleeve and leg length. Both in summer and winter, breathable materials can feel comfortable and may help absorb moisture. While we tend to sweat more during the warmer months, a winter pyjama set that is too warm can also make you feel uncomfortable during the night.

The fabrics of your pyjamas should also feel pleasant against your skin and allow enough freedom of movement. Materials such as TENCEL™ or cotton can provide a comfortable feel depending on their construction. The same applies to your bed linen: it is worth choosing materials and designs that feel comfortable to you at night.

Tip No. 2: Quiet & Darkness Before Bed

Our next tip applies both before going to bed and when you wake up during the night. Light influences our sleep-wake rhythm and can also affect melatonin release. A darker environment in the evening can therefore help you transition into your nighttime routine.

Start by dimming the lights some time before going to bed. Reduce bright screen light and choose indirect light sources instead. Turn down the TV, music and other sources of noise or reduce them where possible to keep your bedroom as quiet as possible.

The same applies if you wake up during the night. Instead of immediately looking at your bright phone screen or switching on a bright bedside lamp, try to continue sleeping with subdued light and as few distractions as possible. Disturbing noises such as passing cars can also interrupt sleep. Depending on the situation, closed windows or earplugs may help reduce unwanted noise.

Tip No. 3: Breathing Exercises Can Help You Relax

If you wake up during the night, you do not have to reach for your phone straight away. Instead, you can focus on the movement of your chest and breathe slowly and calmly.

One possible exercise is the 4-7-8 breathing technique. It is often used as a relaxation exercise and can become part of your personal evening routine.

First, breathe in through your nose while counting to 4. Then hold your breath for around 7 seconds and finally breathe out through your mouth while counting to 8. If this breathing technique feels comfortable for you, you can repeat it several times.

Tip No. 4: The Right Evening Meal Can Support Sleep

The food we eat in the evening can also influence our sleep. A very large or heavy meal shortly before bedtime, for example, can leave you feeling uncomfortable when you go to bed.

Drinking large amounts of fluid immediately before going to bed can also make nighttime trips to the bathroom more likely. A light evening meal may therefore feel more comfortable for many people. Which foods work best for you is individual. Above all, pay attention to what you personally tolerate well in the evening and avoid very large meals shortly before bedtime.

Tip No. 5: Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment

We have already established that your nightwear and bed linen can contribute to nighttime comfort. But the environment you sleep in can also play a role for many people.

Simple things such as a tidy room with as few distractions as possible or separating your sleeping and working areas can help create a clear sleep environment.

It can therefore be worth trying a different arrangement of your bedroom furniture and observing whether this changes your personal comfort. Pleasant scents or adjusting your mattress can also be options for making your sleep environment more suited to your personal preferences.

Tip No. 6: How Can You Switch Off Racing Thoughts?

A common challenge when trying to sleep is racing thoughts, worries and unfinished tasks, which can become more noticeable in the evening. Memories of small things you need to remember or tasks for the following day can also make it harder to fall back asleep.

To help reduce this mental load, you can write down your to-do list and thoughts that are weighing on you in the evening. This allows you to record tasks for the next day instead of continuing to keep them in your head.

Tip No. 7: Take the Pressure Off

This may be our final tip, but it is no less important: take the pressure off and do not force yourself to fall back asleep. Try not to constantly calculate how much time remains until you have to get up. Instead, try to accept being awake for the moment.

A relaxed approach can help avoid additional pressure around falling asleep. If you notice that you have been awake for a longer period, it can also be useful to get up briefly, do something quiet in subdued light and only return to bed when you feel sleepier.

And let’s be honest: One night of less sleep is not automatically a reason for concern. However, if you frequently have problems sleeping through the night and this affects your everyday life, it may be worth taking a closer look at your sleep habits. If sleep problems persist, seeking medical advice or professional support may be helpful.