What You Should Do Instead
“If you don’t fall back asleep after what feels like 20 minutes have gone by, get up,” suggests a sleep doctor. “Sit in a comfortable chair in another room. Read a book, with just enough lights on so that you can see the print comfortably.” Do something relaxing. Listen to quiet music, stretch gently, or write in a journal. Avoid all screens. The blue light from devices suppresses melatonin production. This disrupts your sleep cycle further.
Return to bed only when you feel drowsy. This reinforces your brain’s association between your bed and sleep. “It’s important not to stay in bed, even if you’re reading. Doing this will lead your brain and body to associate your bed with wakefulness instead of with sleep.”
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