Doctors have some surprising suggestions for anyone who wakes up and can’t fall back asleep, the most common type of insomnia, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The best thing to do to prevent an occasional bout of middle-of-the-night insomnia from turning into a chronic problem seems simple: “Nothing,” says Dr. Perlis. “Don’t sleep in. Don’t nap. Don’t go to bed early the next day and everything will turn out fine.”
Compensating for sleep loss can fuel chronic insomnia, because it can make it tougher to sleep the next night. It is better to use caffeine to power through the day, Dr. Perlis says. If you have to get extra rest because of an important work presentation, go to bed later the next night. “Balance the books,” he says.
