Studies have shown that the brain sorts out memories in the first half of the night, while the second half is for the emotions. The rising cortisol levels and dealing with emotional events or feelings may be why many people wake up at 3 AM or 4 AM daily.
Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, calls early rising a “performance killer,” because, he says, regularly getting four hours of sleep is the equivalent of the mental impairment of being up for 24 hours.
Keeping an eye on your hormones is important in preventing those late-night wake-ups. “Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practising relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or meditation,” says Dr Mariyam H. Malik, GP at Pall Mall Medical.
Waking up at the same time every night may be a byproduct of your circadian rhythms. These patterns are determined by a number of environmental and genetic factors and they affect when we tend to wake up and when we feel sleepy.
The hours between 1am and 3am are governed by the liver meridian. Emotionally it is associated with anger and physically associated with your shoulder. The hours between 3am and 5am are governed by the lung meridian. Emotionally it is associated with grief and physically with the muscles around your lungs.
5am - 7am. LARGE INTESTINE | Wake up, release bowels, meditate.
So if you wake up at 3 AM, when Liver energy peaks, you may be suffering from Liver Qi stagnation, which could be related to an unhealthy diet, excess alcohol consumption, unresolved anger or high levels of stress.
According to a new study, the best time to sleep is from 10pm to 4am. People going to bed before 10 or after 11 are at greater risk for heart disease, compared to the average person. In this timeframe people have a 25-percent lower chance of developing heart disease than those who fall asleep after midnight.
4 am is when the veil between the physical and spiritual realm is thinnest. Often called the witching hour, this is when you are closest to your spirit guides and guardian angels. Your guides and angels often connect with you during this time because their messages, guidance, and energy are clearer and more powerful.
Some individuals wake up at 4 or 5 with horrific anxiety attacks. This may be due to increased cortisol in the early morning, which causes greater stress in sensitive individuals. The anxiety may ease off as the person begins his/her daily routine.
If you can't fall asleep until 4 a.m., poor sleep hygiene habits like late-night caffeine and bright light could also be keeping you awake. You may have delayed sleep phase disorder, when your circadian rhythm runs later than usual.
For most of us, five hours of sleep is not OK. Most adults need about eight hours of sleep. And while some people need five hours, it's extremely rare. For most of us, five hours of sleep can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, low energy, poor focus, and long-term health issues.
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.
Waking up in the middle of the night is common. The most common cause is a liver problem, but there may be other reasons why your sleep is disrupted including sleep apnea, nocturnal hypoglycemia, viral infection, urinary issues, digestive issues, potential food allergies or stress.
Late at night: Midnight-6 a.m. Toward morning: 3-6 a.m.
1-3am is the time of the Liver and a time when the body should be alseep. During this time, toxins are released from the body and fresh new blood is made. If you find yourself waking during this time, you could have too much yang energy or problems with your liver or detoxification pathways.
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.