We should generally aim for 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep but there are many who suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, usually between 3 and 5 am, and then can't sleep back. There are several reasons why it happens, like stress, drop in blood sugar, external factors including outside noise, pets jumping on bed, sleep and health disorders. We talked to Dr. Arun Chowdary Kotaru, Consultant, Respiratory/ Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine, Artemis Hospitals, about this and he explained why this happens and what should you do to ensure a restful sleep.
4 Possible Reasons Why 3-5AM Sudden Wake-up Happens
According to Dr. Chowdary Kotaru, the reasons behind waking up between 3 and 5 am can be several. He details a few:
1) Lighter sleep stages: If your natural sleep cycle generally has lighter sleep stages during the second half of the night, the possibility of waking up around 3 to 5 a.m. increases.
2) Anxiety and depression: Worrying about the day ahead or other thoughts hovering in our mind keep the mind active, not allowing it to have the much needed rest because of which a person is likely to wake up during these hours.
3) Hormones: Dr. Chowdary Kotaru points out from a physical perspective, hormonal shifts have an important role to play. Cortisol, which is the body’s primary stress hormone, naturally starts being active in the early morning hours to prepare us for our day ahead. If a person is experiencing chronic stress, they are likely to have higher cortisol levels that wake him/her during these hours.
4) Blood sugar levels: As mentioned above, low blood sugar levels in the early morning are also likely to trigger wakefulness, as the body may signal hunger or discomfort.
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5 Tips To Prevent 3-5AM Sudden Wake-up
Dr. Chowdary Kotaru says that to guarantee proper rest and avoid waking up with a jolt between 3-5 am, you can follow the 5 effective tips:
1) Create a consistent bedtime routine: Hit the bed at the same time every day and practice relaxation techniques before sleeping. Habits like meditation or deep breathing exercises help in reducing stress levels and keep your mind calm, allowing it to stay asleep through the night.
2) Make lifestyle adjustments: Refrain from consuming caffeine and alcohol at night and make sure that you eat at least two hours before bed time.
3) Darken your bedroom: Your bedroom should be dark and quite and have a calm and comfortable environment to ensure a peaceful sleep.
4) Don't look at the clock: If you wake up during the said time gap, avoid looking at the clock. That's because it can make you anxious and stressed, forcing the mind to stay active and not allowing it to have proper rest. You can instead try to sleep or do some deep breathing exercises.
5) Avoid checking devices: Refrain from looking at your mobile, laptop or tablet if your sleep gets disturbed. Because, the exposure to blue light and brain stimulation won't allow you to go back to sleep, distorting your entire sleep schedule.
In the end, Dr. Chowdary Kotaru warns if implementing these strategies doesn't help and the problem persists, consult a doctor.
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