What to do if you wake up at 5am and can't get back to sleep?

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It's the middle of the night, the house silent and the room is dark - except for the relentless glow of your clock. You ask yourself: "How can I get back to sleep?" A sleep specialist discusses the dos and don'ts

Ricarda Dieckmann, DPA

Friday, 27 February 2026, 14:17

It is perfectly normal to wake up several times during the night. According to sleep expert Kneginja Richter, this happens approximately every 90 minutes.

Our sleep consists of different phases. When we move from one phase to the next, we experience brief periods of wakefulness.

"But good sleepers don't notice this. They just turn over and fall back asleep," says Richter.

What do you do if you're staring at the ceiling in frustration?

One of the biggest mistakes is looking at the clock, Richter says. This is something you should definitely avoid when you wake up. "Then you're wide awake in no time," she adds.

Then, the little hamster starts running on the worry wheel in your mind - including thoughts like: "Damn, if I don't fall asleep again right now, I won't be able to cope with tomorrow's stressful day."

If we put so much pressure on ourselves, we are even less likely to fall asleep again. Sleep experts therefore advise that if you are lying in bed and simply cannot get back to sleep, you should get up.

"Tossing and turning in bed for hours on end when you can't sleep is counterproductive," Richter notes.

Keeping stressful thoughts out of the bedroom

Monotonous activities can help, such as listening to calm music or a relaxing audiobook, folding some laundry, knitting a few rows or doing a jigsaw puzzle.

Only when your eyes start to close again should you attempt to go back to bed – and then, in the best case scenario, drift peacefully off to sleep.

There are also techniques you can use to ensure that stressful thoughts don't ruin your night's sleep.

Sleep specialist Richter says, "Every evening, two hours before going to bed, you can write down your worries and negative thoughts. Then put the notebook in a drawer outside the bedroom."

When to consider professional help

But what if sleep disturbances not only cause bad nights, but also bad days?

Insomnia requiring treatment is when a person experiences sleep disturbances more than three times a week over a period of more than three months.

Those affected feel exhausted during the day and are less productive. In this case, it is advisable to seek professional help. The first port of call can be your family doctor.

"Your [family doctor] can refer you to a psychiatrist or sleep specialist, for example, someone who can examine and treat sleep disorders," Richter says.

When it comes to treating insomnia, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is often the first choice.

"The therapy lasts four to six sessions of 50 minutes each – and it is usually successful," says Richter, who also carries out these therapies in her day clinic.

The therapy includes relaxation techniques and teaching patients about sleep and sleep disorders.