If you wake up during the night, use minimal light to navigate, as bright light can inhibit melatonin production and make it harder to fall back asleep.

Taking serotonin supplements in the evening can disrupt sleep architecture, causing issues like waking up in the middle of the night.

If you don't view light early in the day, the cortisol pulse can shift later, leading to mood issues and sleep problems.

The timing of sleep is critical; going to bed later can cut into deep sleep, which typically occurs in the first half of the night.

Using tools like morning sunlight, exercise, and proper timing of food intake can help set a predictable circadian rhythm for better sleep, while during the middle of the day, limiting caffeine intake and being mindful of the clock-delaying effects of exercise can optimize your sleep.

Meditation is an effective technique for overcoming middle-of-the-night awakenings and improving insomnia.

Understanding your temperature minimum, which is typically two hours before your usual wake-up time, can help you adjust your sleep schedule effectively, especially when traveling across time zones.

Using red light in the hours before needing to be awake can help maintain your normal cortisol rhythm without disrupting sleep.

When I wake up after experiencing 2 a.m. chatter, I find that my worries are rarely as significant as they seemed in the middle of the night.