Regaining Night Sleep After A Day Of Napping

Sleeping all day can throw off your sleep schedule, making it difficult to fall asleep at night. This phenomenon is known as sleep-maintenance insomnia, and it affects up to one in five Americans. If you've slept all day and want to get a good night's rest, there are several strategies you can try. Firstly, avoid looking at the time, as this can increase stress and anxiety, making it harder to fall asleep. Instead, try deep breathing exercises, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation techniques. If you're still struggling to fall asleep, get up and do something quiet and unexciting, like reading or listening to soothing music, in another room. When you start feeling sleepy, return to bed.

Avoid screens and blue light

Screens and blue light can have a significant impact on your sleep. The blue light emitted by smartphones and other electronics suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your circadian rhythm and sleep cycles. As such, it is important to avoid screens before bed and during the night if you wake up.

If you wake up in the middle of the night, do not reach for your smartphone, e-reader, or tablet. The light from these devices can stop your body from producing melatonin, making it harder to fall back asleep. Instead, try to do something relaxing in a different room, like meditating or reading a book. If you need to use an electronic device, consider wearing blue light-blocking glasses to prevent your brain from becoming more alert.

It is also a good idea to avoid screens in the hours leading up to bedtime. This will help you wind down and signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Instead of scrolling through your phone or watching TV, try reading a book, listening to music, or doing something else that does not involve a screen. This will help you relax and make it easier to fall asleep when you are ready.

If you need to use your phone or computer before bed, there are a few things you can do to reduce the impact of blue light. Many devices have a night mode or blue light filter that can reduce the amount of blue light emitted. There are also apps and software that can adjust the colour temperature of your screen, such as f.lux.

Try deep breathing exercises

If you've slept all day and are struggling to fall asleep at night, deep breathing exercises can help you relax and calm your mind and body. Here are some techniques you can try:

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

This technique, also known as the "relaxing breath", involves inhaling for four counts, holding your breath for seven counts, and exhaling for eight counts. It is a variation of pranayama, an ancient yogic practice of breath regulation, and was popularized by Dr. Andrew Weil in 2015. To perform this technique:

• Completely exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.
• Close your mouth and quietly inhale through your nose to a count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound, for a count of eight.
• Repeat this cycle three more times for a total of four breath cycles.

Bhramari Pranayama Breathing Exercise

Bhramari Pranayama is based on the yogic practice of breath control. To perform this exercise:

• Sit in a comfortable position and place your thumbs over your ears to block out sounds.
• Place your index fingers above your eyebrows and use the remaining fingers to cover your closed eyes.
• Take a deep inhale, then exhale slowly through your nose while making a humming or buzzing sound, focusing your attention on the area between your eyebrows.
• Repeat this breathing exercise as needed for relaxation.

Belly Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing

This exercise encourages slower and more relaxed breaths by engaging the diaphragm, a crucial breathing muscle located at the bottom of the chest. To perform belly breathing:

• Sit or lie down comfortably with one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, slightly above your belly button.
• Take a deep breath through your nose, ensuring that the hand on your chest remains still while the one on your belly rises.
• As you exhale, let the hand on your belly slowly fall.
• Count each breath, feeling your hand rise and fall while breathing with only your diaphragm. After 20 belly breaths, relax and breathe normally.

Box Breathing

Box breathing combines breathing exercises with visualization. As the name suggests, it involves visualizing a box with four sides to remind you of the pattern and length of each breath. To practice box breathing:

• Starting after an exhale, inhale slowly through your nose to a count of four.
• Hold your breath for another count of four.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of four.
• After exhaling, hold your breath for a final count of four.
• Repeat this breathing pattern as needed.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Also known as Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, this exercise involves pinching one nostril at a time to control the pace and pattern of breathing. Here's how to do it:

• Sit with your legs crossed and place your left hand on your knee.
• Use your right thumb to close your right nostril and exhale completely.
• Inhale through your left nostril.
• Close your left nostril with your index finger and hold your breath for a count of six.
• Open your right nostril and exhale through it.
• Continue this rotation for five minutes, finishing by exhaling through your left nostril.

These deep breathing exercises can help you relax and prepare your body and mind for sleep. Remember to be patient and persistent when practising them, as they become more effective with practice.

Listen to music or white noise

Listening to music or white noise can be an effective way to fall asleep after sleeping all day. Here are some tips to help you get a good night's rest:

Choose the Right Type of Music or Noise

Select music or white noise that you find relaxing and sleep-inducing. This can include natural sounds, such as rain, ocean waves, or wind, or even white noise, which is a specific type of noise that includes all audible frequencies and can help mask background noises. You can also try pink noise, which has a lower pitch than white noise and is often compared to the sound of a waterfall. Alternatively, create a playlist of songs that you find calming or search for curated sleep playlists offered by streaming services.

Experiment with Different Options

Everyone has unique preferences when it comes to sleep sounds. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of music or noise until you find what works best for you. You can try sleep apps, which often offer a variety of relaxing sounds and stories, or download white noise apps or sound files to your smartphone or tablet. Some people also find that listening to music with AirPods or headphones helps them fall asleep and even shapes their dreams.

Consider the Volume and Duration

When using music or white noise to aid sleep, it's important to consider the volume. Keep the noise level similar to that of a background conversation or light rustling. For white noise machines, choose one with volume control so you can set it to your preferred level. Additionally, you may prefer to play the music or noise only while falling asleep or throughout the entire night. Experiment with different durations to see what works best for you.

Combine with Other Sleep Strategies

Combining music or white noise with other sleep strategies can further enhance your sleep quality. This includes maintaining a consistent bedtime routine, engaging in personal hygiene practices before bed, and creating a quiet and comfortable bedroom environment. You can also try meditation, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation techniques to help you relax and prepare for sleep.

Be Mindful of Potential Drawbacks

While music or white noise can be beneficial for sleep, it's important to be mindful of potential drawbacks. Some people find that certain types of noise, such as white noise, can keep them awake or even disturb their sleep. Additionally, prolonged exposure to loud noises, including music or white noise, can have negative effects on hearing and may impact your sleep quality. It's crucial to find a volume and type of noise that works best for you and to combine it with other healthy sleep habits.

Avoid caffeine and nicotine

Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that can disrupt your sleep. Caffeine is a drug that acts as a stimulant, both mentally and physically, and can be found in many everyday foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, chocolate and cola. On the other hand, nicotine is commonly ingested through smoking or vaping.

Caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep, cause you to sleep more lightly and wake up more often, and increase the need to use the toilet during the night. Its effects can last from three to seven hours, but it takes the body about 24 hours to completely eliminate it. If you are having trouble sleeping, it is recommended to limit your caffeine intake and have no more than 200mg per day. It is best to have your last caffeinated drink at least three to four hours before going to bed.

Nicotine can also make it more difficult to fall asleep and to stay asleep. It can disturb sleep by disrupting sleep-involved neurotransmitters and through nicotine withdrawal that occurs while sleeping. It is recommended to avoid nicotine for at least two hours before bed. If you are experiencing insomnia, it is best to avoid nicotine altogether.

Try muscle relaxation techniques

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a deep relaxation technique that has been used to control stress and anxiety, relieve insomnia, and reduce chronic pain. PMR is based on the practice of tightening one muscle group at a time, followed by a relaxation phase where the tension is released. The technique was developed by Edmund Jacobson in the 1930s and is based on the premise that mental calmness is a result of physical relaxation.

• Find a quiet place free of distractions and put on comfortable clothing. You can practise PMR seated or lying down.
• Inhale and contract one muscle group (e.g. your upper thighs) for 5-10 seconds.
• Exhale and release the tension in that muscle group.
• Give yourself 10-20 seconds to relax, focusing on the changes you feel when the muscle group is relaxed.
• Work your way up the body, contracting and relaxing different muscle groups.

You can start with your lower extremities and end with your face, abdomen, and chest. Alternatively, you can begin with your toes and feet, then move up your body, tensing and relaxing your calves, thighs, buttocks, lower back, abdomen, upper back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, jaw, and forehead.

It is recommended to practise PMR for 20-25 minutes every day for two weeks. After two weeks, you can choose to continue with the exercise if it helps with your anxiety and insomnia. With practice, your body and mind will learn to relax more quickly and deeply, leading to fewer sleepless nights.

Frequently asked questions