Sleep health: Strategies for natural waking and returning to sleep

Improving sleep quality and managing nighttime awakenings can be achieved through biological regulation and specific neurological exercises. To wake up naturally without an alarm, experts suggest stabilizing the circadian rhythm by maintaining a consistent sleep-wake schedule, even on weekends. Exposure to bright natural light immediately after waking is also recommended to signal the brain that the active period has begun.

For those who struggle to fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night, Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman suggests a 30-second eye movement exercise. This technique involves moving the eyes in various directions—side to side, up and down, and in circles—while keeping the eyes closed. The goal is to reduce the activity of proprioceptive neural circuits, which monitor body position, thereby helping the brain transition back into sleep.