Waking up in the middle of the night has a special way of turning calm into panic. The room is quiet, the clock feels loud, and your thoughts start racing about how little sleep you have left. The harder you try to relax, the more awake you seem to become.
Sleep scientists say that reaction is common. And according to one well-known neuroscientist, it may also be exactly why so many people struggle to fall back asleep.
Turning off the stress response
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, who studies the connection between the brain, breathing and stress, has pointed out that waking during the night often triggers a mild stress response. Once that system is activated, the brain becomes alert rather than sleepy.
Huberman argues that the fastest way back to sleep is not forcing rest, but sending the nervous system a clear signal that it is safe to switch off. His approach focuses on basic physiology rather than mental effort or distraction.
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A simple physical reset
According to Huberman’s research and clinical work on breathing and eye movement, two systems play a powerful role in regulating stress: respiration and vision.
By deliberately slowing breathing and gently moving the eyes, the body can be nudged out of alert mode.
The method involves only a few steps:
- keep your eyes closed and slowly move them side to side
- focus on long, extended exhales
- allow the body to relax without trying to “sleep”
The combination is thought to calm the nervous system by reducing arousal and lowering stress signals in the brain.
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Why it can work
Sleep researchers note that breathing patterns and eye movements are directly linked to how the brain assesses safety.
Slow exhalation activates calming pathways, while gentle eye motion appears to reduce vigilance.
The technique is not guaranteed to work every time, but it requires no equipment, medication or effort.
For many people, that alone makes it worth trying the next time the mind wakes up before the body is ready.
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Source: Unilad
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