What can I do if I wake up in the middle of the night (in a non recurrent episode) and I am struggling to fall asleep again because of having too many thoughts running around my head?

If you wake up in the middle of the night finding it difficult to fall back asleep due to racing thoughts, you can try several techniques to shift your focus from your busy mind to your body. Andrew Huberman recommends using Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols such as yoga nidra or sleep hypnosis. These can promote a state of deep relaxation akin to sleep. Practicing long exhale breathing can also help calm you down. If these techniques don't work immediately, they at least shift your brain and body closer to the sleep state you're aiming for rather than being fully awake and ruminating 1.

Another option is to use hypnosis. The Reverie app offers clinically tested hypnosis scripts for sleep that you can use if you wake up and struggle to fall back asleep 2. Andrew Huberman personally has had success using the Reverie app's hypnosis specifically designed to help fall back asleep 3.

It's also important not to get too attached to your sleep schedule, which can result in sleep anxiety. NSDR protocols can alleviate this anxiety as well. Dr. Huberman emphasizes teaching your nervous system how to calm down and how to turn off your thoughts for better sleep 2 3.

In addition, Dr. Huberman suggests avoiding caffeine after 2 PM and not eating within two hours of bedtime to improve your ability to fall and stay asleep. If you still wake up and struggle to fall back asleep, myoinositol might help shorten the time it takes to fall back asleep 4.