A doctor has shared a straightforward rule that can improve your sleep and prevent those unexpected awakenings in the middle of the night.
We all aspire to achieve restful sleep each night when we settle into bed, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Many individuals often find themselves waking up around 3am, often to use the bathroom.
This interruption can disrupt what could have been a restful 8-hour sleep, leaving you feeling tired and sluggish the next day.
However, clinical psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus has offered a tip on his social media account that might be just what those facing this issue need.
On his TikTok account, Thesleepdoctor, Breus introduced the 3-2-1 rule, advising people to implement it in the evening to break this repetitive pattern.
He stated: “Don’t get me wrong, I want you to drink water. However, I think people underestimate how little water they should be drinking before bed and how long before bed we should probably cut off hydration. I’ve developed a rule that I call the 3-2-1 rule.
“Three hours before bed, stop alcohol. Two hours before bed, stop food. One hour before bed, stop water. Assuming that your doctor says it’s okay.
“That’s kind of the big fix here. Everyone is different, but capping most fluids one to two hours before bed is the best way to stop those frequent bathroom trips.”
While this may help reduce the frequency of bathroom visits, there are times when you may still find yourself waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to fall back asleep.
As you might expect, sleep experts have guidance on how to drift back to sleep more easily.
Dr. Lindsay Browning, a sleep expert at TroubleSleeping.co.uk, discussed with Huffington Post what they do when awake at inconvenient times.
Browning explained: “If I wake during the night, the first thing I avoid doing is checking the time, since this is only likely to increase anxiety and frustration and lead to mental calculations of how long I have slept for, or how much time is left until morning.
“Instead, I give myself some time to calmly try to go back to sleep again, in the knowledge that waking up in the night is perfectly normal and not the sign of a ruined night’s sleep.”
This is certainly valuable advice to consider if you find yourself awake during the night.