The 8 sleep-destroying habits that wake you up in the night – and how to snooze all night
IT can be frustrating when you get into bed early, ready for a solid night’s rest, only to wake up several times.
Bad sleep can leave you grouchy, unproductive and of course, very tired.
Young children, loud noises and a restless sleeping partner can all cause you to wake up in the night.
But if none of these are affecting you, then why are you still unable to sleep through, undisturbed?
Here we ask the experts to shed some light on the reasons why you might be waking up in the night, plus the simple solutions to help you stop feeling tired all the time.
1. Your sleep posture is wrong
If you sleep in an uncomfortable position, it could cause you to wake up in pain.
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James Leinhardt, and sleep posture expert, recommends two positions: The Dreamer and The Soldier.
“The Dreamer involves lying in the semi-foetal position with your knees bent.
“This is well evidenced to put the least amount of tension through your spine whilst you sleep.
“If you can sleep with a pillow in between your knees and ankles, that’s even better for better posture and rest.”
As for The Soldier, this involves sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, ensuring your spine stays in a neutral position.
Plus, James explains that optimising your sleep posture could bring many other benefits to your everyday life.
They include reduced back and neck pain, through to lessened neck and shoulder tension and improved circulation, all the way to decreased snoring and improved lung capacity which can help to improve energy levels.
2. You’re not getting enough sunlight in the day
“This is your internal body clock that regulates cycles of when you are alert and sleepy.
“If this rhythm is interrupted, it makes it harder to sleep at night.”
, a Lucid Dreaming teacher and the author of Dreams of Awakening (, £14.99), explains that a lack of sunlight during the day will affect your production of the hormones melatonin and serotonin, both of which we need to aid in good sleep.
To help with hormone production, David suggests spending at least 30 minutes outside each day, especially in the morning.
“Keep your living space bright during the day and if your sunlight is limited (as it often is in winter), try using a light therapy box,” he adds.
“Reduce exposure to light in the afternoon and evenings by wearing sunglasses outside.
“Before bedtime, avoid blue light exposure for 60 minutes as blue light can disrupt hormone production.”
Charlie adds that as it is now starting to get darker earlier, our melatonin production is switched on earlier, so you may start to feel more tired earlier on in the day.
“Try going to bed a bit earlier as your body will naturally be producing more melatonin and will be craving a little bit more sleep than usual.”
3. You have sleep apnoea
According to the NHS, one of the key symptoms of sleep apnoea - where breathing stops and starts while you sleep - is waking up a lot in the night.
Other symptoms of sleep apnoea include making gasping, snorting or choking noises and snoring loudly.
Charlie says: “If you have sleep apnoea it can impact the levels of deep sleep you receive which can in turn have a detrimental impact on your overall health.
“For some, sleep apnoea can be a serious condition, so it’s important to have this checked out properly by your GP.”
David says that as well as consulting your GP, you may benefit from sleeping on your side instead of your back whilst also maintaining a healthy body weight.
4. You’re having coffee in the afternoon
A coffee after lunch could potentially have an impact on your sleep, causing you to feel restless and wake up in the night.
Charlie says it’s best not to drink any coffee after 2pm.
“This is because caffeine has a half-life of about five hours. If you drink a coffee at 10am, it should leave your system by 8pm.
Essentially, our sleep is broken into various sleep stages including light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep.
When you’re stressed, you may find that you spend less time in deep sleep, or you wake up more during REM sleep.
The best sleep routine and environment
Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor, reveals the key components of a good bedtime routine and environment...
A sure-fire way to facilitate a better night’s sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene.
Establish a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it.
This will help your body establish a consistent, natural sleep-wake cycle which can do wonders for your overall sleep quality.
As such, try to avoid making up for lost sleep with a lie-in.
Instead of sleeping in, spend your morning reading a book in bed or having a leisurely coffee in the kitchen.
Ensure that your bedroom, bedding, and sleepwear are fit for purpose too.
The ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool – much like a cave.
If you find unwelcome sources of light are keeping you up, consider investing in an eye mask or black-out curtains.
Adding soft furnishings can be a great way to reduce noise, with the surfaces having an absorptive quality, but if this doesn’t work, consider embracing a soothing soundtrack to block it out.
In terms of temperature, try to keep your bedroom at 18°C. You can further reduce the risk of waking up due to overheating by ensuring that all your bedding and sleepwear is made with natural, breathable materials such as cotton and linen.
Bear in mind that everyone is different; what might work for most, may not work for you!
Whilst knowing how much sleep you should get, how to overcome common barriers, and practicing good sleep hygiene can facilitate a great night’s sleep, if you continue to struggle with sleep or fatigue persistently, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support.
has found that breathwork - aka, deliberate control of your breath - is an effective way of improving stress and mental health.
“By simply breathing much, much more slowly than usual you can help you to stay regulated and within your window of tolerance, and it can also improve the quality of your sleep,” suggests Charlie.
David also recommends keeping a journal to jot down thoughts before sleep to clear your mind.
6. You’re eating chocolate after dinner
The type and amount of chocolate you eat could have an impact on your sleep.
David says: “Alcohol in general actually impairs our ability to cycle efficiently through the stages of sleep where we have the greatest physical and mental restoration and similar to the effects of caffeine it blocks your brain’s sleep-promoting chemical, adenosine.
“Alcohol is also a diuretic, which may increase the likelihood of waking to use the toilet during the night.”
Try to limit alcohol consumption to one drink and avoid it in the hours before bed.
Instead, opt for non-alcoholic, low sugar alternatives or even choose herbal tea.
8. Your joints are aching
If your muscles or joints are in pain, it can make it difficult to stay comfortable through the night, which could cause you to wake up.
David says: “Use supportive pillows to maintain a comfortable sleeping posture and consider gentle stretching or physical therapy to relieve joint pain.”
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Magnesium creams or a magnesium salt bath could also help.