Most of us wake up three to four times during the night for varied reasons, and this is considered a part of a normal sleep pattern. However, a lot of us wake more frequently, sometimes even every two to three hours in the night. This is a reason for concern.
Everyone wakes up a few times per night. Cycling out of sleep roughly every 90 minutes to two hours is normal. But frequent wakings can affect physical, emotional and mental functioning.
Waking up in the middle of the night once in a while is not generally a cause for concern. However, experiencing frequent sleep interruptions and not feeling well rested each morning could indicate a sleep disorder or another health condition. Speak with a health care provider if you are experiencing sleep problems.
A National Institutes of Health study that found no statistical differences among gender in average frequency of awakenings. However, they did find that older individuals commonly awoke more frequently. In fact, the average number of awakenings hovers around six times per night.
Reasons this might happen include drinking caffeine or alcohol late in the day, a poor sleep environment, a sleep disorder, or another health condition. When you can't get back to sleep quickly, you won't get enough quality sleep to keep you refreshed and healthy.
Waking up throughout the night is actually a normal part of sleep. In fact, a newer study1 shows that our brain wakes up more than 100 times throughout the night due to the stress hormone, noradrenaline. These moments of wakefulness are so minuscule, though, that the sleeper won't notice.
Quick Read Nature's worst alarm clock. It's normal to wake up once a night to pee, but multiple times a night could suggest something more. Nocturia is the clinical term for waking up to pee two or more times at night. Your lifestyle, medications and various health conditions might cause or contribute to nocturia.
Temperature - Let's say you have the best mattress on the market, yet you still find yourself waking up every hour or so. Have you ever considered that it may be because of the temperature of your room? If our bodies are too hot or too cold they can become agitated and it can be increasingly difficult to fall asleep.
It can be common for people to wake up once during the night to pee, but peeing more frequently may be a sign of an underlying condition or problem.
Blocking out sound and light to create a dark, quiet environment is one of the best ways to get a restful sleep. Light and sound influence our sleep cycles and can cause us to wake up at night. A prime example of this is street noise or bright lights from outside that can easily wake someone up.
Middle insomnia describes a difficulty maintaining sleep after initial sleep onset. For these individuals, sleep is fragmented with frequent awakenings at night. Middle insomnia is commonly associated with neurological syndromes (e.g., RLS), pain syndromes, or depression.
According to sleep specialists, most people actually wake up about 6 times per night, and one of those is usually around 2 or 3 am, depending on when they hit the hay. They also say that waking up at that time is just a sign that we have shifted from deep sleep to a lighter sleep where our brains are more active.
If you're constantly waking up during the night, chances are the sleep you are getting isn't very restful. There are a number of things that can rouse you from sleep including stress, the call of nature, or being too hot, Healthline reported.
One study demonstrated a stronger correlation between interrupted sleep and a decreased positive mood compared to reduced total hours of continuous sleep. View Source . In addition, These issues were compounded with consecutive days of interrupted sleep, suggesting that the effect can accumulate over time.
Napping too much.
Long naps in the afternoon or later make it harder to stay asleep at night. Consuming too much caffeine.Caffeine (in coffee, tea, and sodas) blocks a brain chemical called adenosine that helps you sleep. Go light on caffeine-containing foods and drinks beyond the early afternoon.
A room that is too cold, too hot, or too humid may cause frequent awakenings. Most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 60-67 °F to get good sleep. The bedroom should be completely dark. Using room-darkening shades or curtains may help.
Waking often during the night to urinate can also be linked to obstructive sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders. Nocturia may go away when the sleeping problem is under control. Stress and restlessness can also cause you to wake up at night.
Limit your intake of fluids two hours before bedtime
If you're struggling with nighttime urination, cut back to just one alcoholic beverage, or none at all, and decrease your current caffeine intake.
“While you sleep, levels of ADH increase to keep you from waking up to go to the bathroom,” explains Dr. Yamunadevi Sadasivan, a primary care doctor at Geisinger 65 Forward. That means most people can make it through an entire night — six to eight hours of sleep — without using the bathroom.
Many factors can cause a person to wake up often at night. Needing to urinate is a common reason, but sleep apnea, overheating, and dietary habits are just a few of the others. However, regularly waking up in the middle of the night can become problematic, as it interrupts sleep.
Increase your daylight exposure, preferably early in the morning. Light helps set your circadian rhythm and encourage better sleep at night. If you exercise, do it in the morning, when you're getting that morning light exposure — this will help your body recognize that it's time to be awake.
In fact most people wake two or three times during the night.