It’s annoying to randomly awaken from sleep in the wee hours. Noticing that it always happens around the same time might especially give you pause. But sleep experts say it’s more common than you may think to wake up at the same time every night due to some basic biology and behaviors. Keep reading for the main reasons you seem to be yanked from sleep whenever the clock strikes, say, 3 a.m., and what to do if you’re left tossing and turning.
1. You’re between sleep cycles.
We all wake up very briefly between sleep cycles, which last about 90 minutes, and typically “don’t know it’s happening and go right back to sleep,” Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, a clinical psychologist and author of The Women’s Guide To Overcoming Insomnia, tells SELF.
But your risk of getting stuck awake between cycles goes up as the night goes on. By around 2 or 3 a.m., you will have already “slept off a good portion of your sleep pressure,” or natural drive to sleep, meaning you might not move into the next cycle as readily, Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, a board-certified physician and sleep specialist, tells SELF.
2. Something disruptive tends to happen at that time.
Shifts in your environment can also pull you out of sleep like clockwork. Maybe light or noise filters into your room, or your partner starts rustling or snoring around the same time early each morning. Or perhaps that’s when you get too hot under the covers. “Body temperature naturally begins to rise in the early morning hours as a cue to wake, so a space that feels too warm can trigger an earlier awakening,” Dr. Holliday-Bell says. (That can be a particular problem if you’re also dealing with menopausal night sweats, which warrants a convo with your doctor about hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options.)
3. You have poor sleep hygiene.
Pre-bed habits can make sleep shallow, prompting you to keep waking up at 3 a.m. Having alcohol within three hours of your bedtime, or caffeine within eight, can mess with restorative sleep stages, Dr. Harris says. And downing any fluids right before bed could have you waking up to pee. Certain eating patterns may also be to blame, Dr. Holliday-Bell notes: Blood sugar can dip around the same time if you go too long without eating before bed; and a big meal right before dozing can wake you up with gas or acid reflux.
4. You do the same behaviors each night after you wake up.
You might also be inadvertently reinforcing the pattern: “If you wake up at the same time every night and then check your phone, turn on the lights, or engage in anything stimulating, your brain can start to associate that time with being awake,” Dr. Holliday-Bell says. So then you become more likely to open your eyes at the same time night after night.
What to do if you wake up at the same time every night
First, know it’s not automatically a problem, Dr. Holliday-Bell says. Not worrying about these wakeups could make all the difference in dozing back off easily. In that moment, also try to avoid using your phone or doing anything else that revs up your brain.
To nix future awakenings, Dr. Holliday-Bell suggests keeping your space cool—find bedding made from breathable fabrics like cotton. Cut back on the nightcap, and on afternoon caffeine; ensure your room is dark and quiet; and build in a consistent wind-down routine. And if nothing seems to be working, check in with a doctor. In rare scenarios, those wakeups might be tied to conditions like sleep apnea or hyperthyroidism. Your doctor can pinpoint the issue and then guide you toward treatment for better rest.
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