Is it OK to read in bed? I usually read once I’m in bed, and if I wake in the middle of the night, which is my best chance of getting back to sleep. But I often hear that you shouldn’t read in bed. But if I don’t I’m awake even longer, or wake myself up by going downstairs to read, feel sleepy again, then am wide awake by the time I get back upstairs, so it seems counter productive!
Hey there! You absolutely can and should read in bed before sleep, especially if you know it helps you fall asleep already.
Reading is a relaxing, meditative activity that is known to reduce stress. Avoid reading from your phone, and if you have a kindle make sure it’s one that doesn’t emit blue light, as this tends to keep you up. But if reading in bed is helping you sleep already, then you must be doing it right!
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Thank you! I constantly read that you shouldn’t do anything in bed apart from sleep and sex. I assume the idea is that you eventually have a Pavlovian dog response, so you get into bed and immediately want sleep - or have sex! Doesnt work for me but thought maybe I haven’t tried for long enough, so good to know its ok. How about how long you should lie in bed (or read) if you cant sleep?
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Yea, what you’re talking about is generally true. If you do stimulating activities in bed, your brain will start associating your bed with being awake. But in the case of reading right before bed, this same logic works positively. If you get in the habit of doing a relaxing activity as you start getting ready for sleep, then that activity will be associated with sleep. It’s just important that your bedtime routine involves winding down (reading, meditating, etc.) rather than winding up (phone, physical activity, etc.).
If you can’t sleep, a lot of people benefit from ‘resetting’ by reading, or getting up in some way before resuming sleep. I would try doing this for 20 minutes or so, but the amount of time may vary. The important thing is to clear your mind and make sure your heart rate returns to a normal level. A lot of time the experience of being unable to sleep leads to racing thoughts and an elevated heart rate, it’s all about curbing this and getting back to relaxed mindset.
Ultimately, everybody is different. And if you find something that works for YOU, regardless of whether it aligns with all the advice you read online, then it’s probably worth continuing.
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Thank you that’s very helpful. I’ll do what feels right for me rather than what’s ‘right’.
One of my big problems is that when I can’t sleep at night and get up I invariably start eating toast and marmalade, milk or yoghurt with honey, weetabix with sugar (even though I’m never even tempted to have sugar on weetabix during the day) - you name it. I’m not remotely hungry. I’ve tried herbal drinks, mindfulness, breathing and relaxation but I think just crave comfort food in the middle of the night - and it does seem to help me sleep. Any suggestions?
I also read in bed before going to sleep. I read for about 20-30 until I get drowsy. I don’t read in the middle of the night, though.