If you can't avoid screens before bed or at 3 a.m., try Nadine Hemens' trick. "Midnight insomnia is a big problem for me, and checking email made it worse.
I tell myself whatever it is can wait and listen to a meditation app on my phone. I fall asleep without noticing," she says.
MIDNIGHT Insomnia is often caused by anxiety, stress, or a busy mind. Sleep cycles occur all night.
Each cycle, we wake up briefly but don't remember and fall back asleep. If you're stressed, those wake-ups can be a full awakening, and your mind gets busy.
White noise can help you sleep if your partner snores. And never, ever sleep with an alarm clock facing you, she says.
REM sleep is disturbed by alcohol. REM is the dream cycle and may be body and brain restorative.