[tyroh]

As I got older, I found that I wake up in the middle of the night more often. Often, this is because I need to pee. This doesn't affect the quality of my sleep if I can doze off soon after getting back to bed.

I use a fitness band to track my sleep patterns. It's recommended to get 20-25% of your sleep as REM sleep, around 90 minutes. I always feel rested when I hit this figure, even at times I get less than 7 hours sleep.

What really helped me is a regular sleeping time and waking time.

Also, when I get those negative thoughts in the middle of the night as you do, I focus on relaxing my body and also not focusing on thinking anything and letting my mind drift. Sometimes I even return to what I was previously dreaming about.

What's also been key for me is having a good sleep environment.

* Comfortable bed and pillows

* No stimulants when nearing sleeping time (alcohol or caffeine)

* No streneous activities as well right before sleep

* Well-ventilated room