Waking up at the same time every night? Science explains why

Have you ever found yourself waking up in the wee hours of the morning, looking at the clock and finding it's 3am, just like the night before? If this sounds familiar to you, know that there is an explanation. Many people suffer from this phenomenon related to the way we live Sleeps It's organized.

Understanding night waking

During the night, we go through several stages of sleep, alternating between light sleep and deep sleep, and this occurs in cycles of approximately 90 to 120 minutes. Neurologist Brandon Peters Matthews explains that this pattern can cause us to wake up at the same time several nights in a row. Most of these awakenings are short, and we barely remember them in the morning.

Why do we wake up?

There are several reasons why we wake up at night. One of them is the natural architecture of our sleep. Michelle Drerup of the Cleveland Clinic states that waking up several times during the night does not generally affect our health as long as we can return to sleep quickly. However, frequent waking up can indicate problems such as: Stopped breathing during sleep or urinating during the night.

The second half of the night is the time when we are most likely to remember these awakenings, as we spend more time in the REM phase, which is a lighter phase. This is normal, and, as Drerrup says, “it's very common based on our sleep architecture.”

Furthermore, our emotional reaction upon waking up can further complicate matters. If looking at a clock makes you anxious or frustrated, it may make it more difficult to fall back asleep, which can lead to sleep disturbances insomnia secondary.

Everyday factors

Our circadian rhythm, or internal biological clock, also plays an important role. Kathy Goldstein, of the University of Michigan Health, explains that changes in light exposure and sleep schedules can affect this rhythm, affecting the quality of rest. As we age, we also tend to spend more time in the light stages of sleep.

How to improve sleep

If you wake up in the middle of the night, try to resist the temptation to look at the clock. Peters-Matthews advises that if your alarm doesn't go off, you should still try to go back to sleep. If you can't do this within 15 minutes, do a quiet activity until sleep returns.

Additional tips include maintaining a consistent sleep routine, reducing exposure to artificial light at night, and perhaps taking a low dose of melatonin. It's also important to optimize your sleep environment by keeping it dark, quiet, and at the ideal temperature.