The Two-Part Sleep Solution 🛌

Published: Sat, 06/21/25

Updated: Sat, 06/21/25

A health newsletter for adults over 60 who want to live fully, stay engaged in life, and continue doing what they love!

The Two-Part Sleep Solution: How to Fall Asleep—and Stay Asleep

This week, I had a conversation with a client about waking up in the middle of the night. It’s frustrating when your mind locks onto something and makes it hard to fall back asleep. So, I decided to revisit some sleep strategies I’ve learned from various health practitioners and share them in this week’s newsletter.

How Sleep Changes as we Age

Research from institutions like the National Institute on Aging and Stanford Sleep Medicine shows that older adults experience:

Less time in deep (slow-wave) sleep
Reduced melatonin and sleep spindle activity (both help protect sleep)
More frequent awakenings due to lighter sleep cycles

But there’s a mental component too: as we age, we’re more prone to nocturnal awakenings—and if the brain becomes active during those brief moments, it can snowball into worry or rumination.

Getting better sleep as we age is not just about going to bed earlier. It’s about resetting your rhythm, calming your brain, and knowing what to do when you wake up in the middle of the night—because for many of us, that’s where the real battle begins.

This newsletter breaks sleep into two parts:

How to set yourself up for better sleep at night
What to do when you wake up with racing thoughts at 2 a.m.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Part 1: How to Fall Asleep Easier

Based on tools from Dr. Andrew Huberman, Stanford neuroscientist

Dr. Huberman emphasizes that good sleep starts during the day. Here are key habits that help reset your body clock and prepare your brain for rest:

✅ Get Natural Light in the Morning

Spend 10–15 minutes outside within 30–60 minutes of waking. This helps anchor your internal clock and sets a timer for melatonin release later in the day.

✅ Avoid Bright Light After 8 p.m.

Dim your indoor lights and minimize screen time at night. If you must use a device, use “night mode” or wear blue-light-blocking glasses.

✅ Keep a Consistent Wake-Up Time

Your brain and body love consistency. Even after a rough night, try to wake up at the same time to stabilize your circadian rhythm.

✅ Limit Caffeine

Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours. Cut off coffee or tea by late morning to avoid interference with your sleep pressure at night.

✅ Try a Warm Shower or Bath in the Evening

Raising your skin temperature before bed helps cool your core body temperature, which is a natural signal to fall asleep.

Part 2: What to Do When You Wake Up in the Middle of the Night

Like myself, many of my clients do many of the right things—and still wake up between 2 to 4 a.m., unable to fall back asleep. Here's some tools that may be helpful in returning back to sleep:

🧮 1. Cognitive Distraction

Instead of trying to relax, try to mentally distract yourself:

Count backward from 300 by 3s
Name a type of item (e.g., cities, animals) for each letter of the alphabet

These activities are just challenging enough to quiet mental noise without overstimulating the brain.

🌬️ 2. Use the “Physiological Sigh”

This is one of Dr. Huberman’s most effective tools for calming the nervous system:

Inhale through your nose
Take a second short inhale right after
Then exhale slowly through your mouth

Repeat 2–3 times. This slows the heart rate and eases the mind.

💪 3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Start at your toes and slowly tense, then relax, each muscle group.
Combine with deep breathing for an even more powerful calming effect.

🕯️ 4. Get Out of Bed (the Right Way)

If you're awake for more than 20 minutes, leave the bed. Read something calm under dim light, do light stretching, listen to soft music or pray—then return to bed when you feel sleepy. This helps prevent your brain from associating your bed with anxiety.

🔄 5. Try “Paradoxical Intention”

This surprising technique asks you to try to stay awake rather than forcing sleep. Often, this removes pressure and helps your mind ease into sleep naturally.

📖 6. Keep a “Worry Journal” (Before Bed)

Writing down tasks or concerns before you go to sleep can reduce middle-of-the-night wakeups. Offloading these thoughts can stop your brain from spinning at 2 a.m.

Final Thoughts

I hope you find some of these strategies helpful for getting better sleep at night. I'm thankful for the reminder myself and plan to try a few! If you’ve found anything that works for you, let me know—I’d love to share it in a future newsletter so others can benefit too.

Have a wonderful week!

Kristen Nielsen

Start Your Freedom Journey

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Togetherwon offers personalized, in-home fitness training tailored to your unique needs.

Call today to schedule your FREE introductory session, which includes a balance assessment and foundational exercises to get you started!

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High Protein Overnight Oats

Try this recipe for a whopping 47g protein!

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup Greek yogurt (plain for flavored)
1 scoop protein powder (vanilla or your choice)
1/2 cup milk (or milk alternative)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup blueberries
1 Tbsp honey (if desired)

Instructions:

Mix the base: In a bowl, combine oats, Greek yogurt, protein powder, milk, and chia seeds. Mix well.
Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the oats soak and the chia seeds expand.
Serve: In the morning, top with fresh blueberries and a drizzle of honey if desired.

Protein Breakdown:

Greek yogurt: ~ 20g
Protein powder ~ 20g
Chia seeds ~ 4 g
Oats- ~3g

Total ~ 47g

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STAY IN THE GAME.

Email: Kristen@TogetherWon.com

Phone: 719-243-2877

Website: www.TogetherWon.com

Kristen Nielsen
Functional Aging Specialist

2021 Walnut Creek Court
Colorado Springs Colorado 80921
US

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