What Actually Helps at 3 A.M.
We talked about sleep in my women’s group this week, and some of the most helpful takeaways were surprisingly simple.
What we all had in common was waking in the night and then getting stuck once the mind started racing.
What Helps in the Moment
One of the biggest reminders was that bedtime is not the time to solve problems. No planning, no replaying the day, no trying to figure out your life at 3 a.m., because 3 a.m. is not exactly known for its wisdom. If a useful thought comes up, notice it, thank it, and let it go. If it’s truly important, you’ll remember.
Another was giving the mind something calm to focus on. A soothing podcast, an audiobook without too much plot, 4-4-4-4 breathing, a body scan, anything that helps to distract from the spiral.
A big one for many of us was remembering that rest still counts. Even if you are not fully asleep, lying still, breathing, and resting is still restorative.
A helpful tip that came from one of the women in the group was drinking your last big glass of water a few hours before bed and then just sipping afterward. When you are already waking up hot, then cold, then wondering why this is your life, it helps to remove one more reason to get up.
Changing the Story About Sleep
The realization that has helped me most personally is this: I have had sleepless nights before and still gone on to have a fully functional day, despite what my middle-of-the-night brain tries to tell me. Reminding myself of that takes away some of the fear.
This conversation also brought up something deeper for me about how women negotiate around sleep, and I have a feeling I’ll be coming back to that.
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Reflection Question: What has made the biggest difference for your sleep lately?
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You can always start with a free Saboteur Discovery Session.
