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.
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.
Establish a bedtime routine
Maintaining a regular bedtime schedule should also be a part of this because you'll be training your body to feel sleepy at a specific time each night. Additionally, it's important to consistently wake up at the same time each day to further facilitate this routine.
General health conditions
Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea. Obesity. Alcohol consumption and smoking. Digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux.
“It's very common for people to wake up around 2 or 3 a.m. because this is when our sleep architecture (the pattern of our sleep stage cycles throughout the night) naturally has a shift from more deep sleep to more REM sleep.
Normally, at night time, melatonin levels will naturally increase, and cortisol (our stress hormone), will naturally be lower (than in the mornings). If you are under acute stress, or you have been under chronic stress, you may notice that you tend to wake up between 2-4 am and have difficulty falling back asleep.
The best way to put an end to late-night awakenings is to keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule. That means getting up at the same time each day (yes, even on weekends). Committing yourself to a proper bedtime is only half the battle to improve your sleep hygiene. Having other good sleep habits is just as important.
Common reasons include the following: Stress. Poor sleep environment caused by loud noises or light. Too much caffeine.
Common causes of chronic insomnia include: Stress. Concerns about work, school, health, finances or family can keep your mind active at night, making it difficult to sleep. Stressful life events or trauma — such as the death or illness of a loved one, divorce, or a job loss — also may lead to insomnia.
One study of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
Sleep deprivation can make this logic seem sound, but experts say taking melatonin in the middle of the night can actually make your sleep schedule even worse.
Because there are so many different things that can wake you up, there's no specific number of awakenings that is a cause for concern, Brandon Peters, M.D., a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, tells SELF. “[The number can] vary night by night due to different reasons,” he says.
Depression and Insomnia
Early wakening is closely associated with depression, as well as difficulty falling asleep at night. Those with depression may switch back and forth between insomnia and hypersomnia during a single period of depression.
The Dangers of Sleeping Only 3 Hours
One major side effect may be a decrease in cognitive function and proper decision-making. This could lead to accidents, irritability, depression, or memory loss. There could be multiple physical ramifications caused by sleep deprivation as well.
It's not always clear what triggers insomnia, but it's often associated with: stress and anxiety. a poor sleeping environment – such as an uncomfortable bed, or a bedroom that's too light, noisy, hot or cold. lifestyle factors – such as jet lag, shift work, or drinking alcohol or caffeine before going to bed.
Overall, the studies showed that melatonin was better than placebo for improving both the time to fall asleep and total sleep.
In fact, the average number of awakenings hovers around six times per night. As the body cycles through various stages of sleep, including deep sleep and REM sleep, it dips from shallower to deeper states.
Usually, the most common cause of waking up between 1-4: 00 am is a liver problem. It may be that you have liver inflammation or fatty liver disease, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Disturbed sleep is common and results from various causes like stress, health conditions, and medications. The hormones melatonin and cortisol regulate our sleep cycle. The rising cortisol levels around 3 AM or 4 AM with emotional sorting by the brain are probable causes why you wake up around the same time every day.