Are You Waking Up At 3am? Here's What That Might Mean

This is a scenario far too many people are familiar with: it’s three in the morning, you have to wake up for work in a few hours, and a nameless inner alarm wakes you up. It’s too early to start the day, but you’re wide awake and can’t get back to sleep. All you can do is look at the ceiling and wonder, “Why?” If you’re waking up at 3am, there could several explanations worth exploring. Determining the root cause of your sleeping problems could help you find potential remedies so that you can get back to enjoying a good night’s rest.

The sleep cycle

The sleep cycle has four phases.

1. The first sleep phase is when you first lie down and begin to get sleepy. It’s somewhere in between asleep and awake. Your muscles relax, your breathing slows, and your heart rate decreases.
2. The second sleep phase is when you first fall asleep. This is very light sleep, and it may even feel like you’re still awake.
3. In the second phase, you enter deep sleep. It is very hard to wake up from a deep sleep. In deep sleep, you do not dream, and the activity in your body is at a very low level. Sleep walking is a common problem that happens during this phase of sleep.
4. After deep sleep, we go back to the second phase for just a few minutes, then plunge into dream sleep, or REM sleep. This phase is named for the Rapid Eye Movement that happens while you dream.

It takes about 60-100 minutes to properly go through the four phases of sleep. Then, the cycle repeats. The average person wakes up at least once a night before going back to sleep (whether they remember waking up or not). You wake up when the sleep cycle returns to the lighter phases of sleep.

Studies have shown that many people experience much lighter sleep for about an hour, usually in the middle of the night. This may be due to our species’ past with waking hours at night, and it could also be because of our natural sleep cycles.

The history of sleep

Historians have discovered through studying pre-industrial texts and medical books that humans used to sleep in two parts. People tended to have a “first sleep,” then their “second sleep,” with a few waking hours in the middle of the night. People used these few hours to read, relax, pray, have sex, chat, eat, and sometimes even visit neighbors.

The idea of an eight-hour uninterrupted sleep is a modern phenomenon, which only came about when electricity became common. Once electricity started to light up our streets and homes, people began staying up later, and their resting hours condensed into one phase. The practice of sleeping in two phases instead of one, or biphasic sleep, isn’t necessarily bad for you. Many people intentionally practice biphasic sleep, whether they wake up in the middle of the night, sleep for only a few hours at night, or a few hours in the middle of the day. The point is, if you’re waking up at night, don’t sound the alarms just yet. You may just be following the natural rhythms of your sleep cycle.

Reasons you might be waking up at 3am

Of course, our natural sleep cycles aside, modern people have jobs that often demand early hours. When it’s time to wake up, you have to get up, whether you got your eight hours or not. Let’s review the common reasons you might be waking up. For each reason, we’ll offer a few potential ideas and remedies.

1)    To use the bathroom

A very common reason for waking up at the same time every night is to use to go to the bathroom. There are a few things that could lead to this problem. It could be because of an enlarged prostate, pre-diabetes, or drinking an excessive amount of fluids.

Try cutting down on the number of fluids you drink right before bed and instead use a cool glass of water to wake yourself up first thing in the morning. It’s okay to get up to use the bathroom, just don’t turn all your lights on. The second you flip the switch, your brain thinks it’s morning. Leave the lights off or place some night lights that lead the way instead.

2)    Your blood sugar is low

To you, it might seem like you’re waking up for no apparent reason. However, think about what time you normally eat dinner. Many people eat around 7pm. That means that at 3am they haven’t eaten in eight hours, and their blood sugar is probably quite low. When your body worries that it needs to eat, it produces Cortisol, which starts the metabolic process and makes you hungry. 

Eating dinner right before bed can actually keep you awake as you digest complex foods. Still, you can eat a small snack or a little sweet before you fall asleep. Try drinking tea with honey before bed. This can help stabilize your blood sugar and prevent your body from worrying about eating in the middle of the night. You could also adjust your eating schedule and have dinner not right before bed, but rather just slightly later in the day.

If you’re waking up at night to go to the bathroom or to eat, try one of the following tips:

• Don’t turn on the lights. Use night lights or move around in the dark.
• Don’t look at the time. It’s tempting to look at the time and do the math. We think, “I need to get up in three hours.” This often only leads to anxiety, and anxiety can harm your ability to get back to sleep.
• Practice deep breathing. Once you’re back in bed, intentionally slow your heart rate down by taking deep, deliberate breaths. To enter the second phase of sleep, your heart rate must be less than 60. You can lower your heart rate on purpose by slowing your breathing.
• Stay away from electronics. The bright screen of your phone or a computer sends your brain mixed signals. Picking up your phone constantly may also be an anxious tick, and it’s usually healthiest not to indulge these anxieties when we want to get some rest.

If you try these tips and the problem persists, consider speaking with a sleep doctor, online or in person, who can provide you with more specific answers.

3)    Anxiety

If you’re waking up at night and your mind is racing and you can’t get back to sleep, then you might be experiencing an anxiety disorder.Anxiety and insomnia often go hand in hand. Your anxiety tells you that there is an imminent threat, which results in you not being able to sleep.  

You can learn techniques to manage your anxiety and get a better night of sleep. One thing you can do is practice mindfulness. Through practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques, you can learn to step back and look at your thoughts and your life from a removed, non-judgmental perspective. If you practice meditation often at night, it can become a habit, and it may help you fall asleep with more ease.

The next time you’re worried about sleeping, listen to a guided meditation, take a hot bath, read, or list the things you’re grateful for. Some psychologists have also suggested trying not to sleep. Lie in bed and try to stay awake as long as possible. This shifts your perspective away from “I need to sleep, and I can’t,” and can alleviate some of the anxiety you may be feeling. If you try these tips and the problem persists, or if you’re worried that your sleep patterns or anxiety are affecting your daily functioning, then it might help to speak to a professional. 

4)    Menopausal hot flashes

You might be waking up at 3am because you are experiencing hot flashes. During menopause, a person’s levels of estrogen drop, which can cause hot flashes. People who experience hot flashes often wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat then have difficulties getting back to sleep. These might start during perimenopause, then continue to a few years post-menopause before declining slowly in frequency. If you are experiencing hot flashes, there are a few techniques that might help.

• Wear clothes or use bed sheets that absorb high amounts of moisture. This can prevent you from feeling cold and wet from the sweat once the hot flash has ended.
• Invest in a cooling pad or cloth that you can sleep with in bed.
• Talk to your doctor about medicine that reduces the symptoms of menopause.

The prevalence of sleep problems

Some sleep scientists have theorized that modern humans are chronically sleep-deprived. One Australian study found that 20-35% of the population experienced sleep difficulties.

That means one-third of people may have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. These problems are more prevalent in women, but issues with snoring and breathing while sleeping is more prevalent among men.

The same study found that about half of these respondents exhibited a sleep disorder, but the other half intentionally chose to limit their amount of sleep or had developed negative sleep habits. Our sleeping habits have changed significantly since the days of early humans, and some sleep specialists have theorized that modern people are chronically sleep-deprived.

Online counseling with regain

Poor sleeping habits can contribute to negative physical and mental health outcomes. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or aren’t getting quality rest, it could be time to consult a professional. Regain is online counseling platform that can connect you with a therapist from the comfort of your home. You can use video chats, phone calls, or even in-app messaging to speak with your therapist at your convenience. If you’re up in the middle of the night and can’t sleep, you can send them a message that they will get back to as soon as they’re able. Instead of worrying about waiting for your next in-person session, online therapy allows you to get the support you need when you need it most. 

The efficacy of online counseling 

If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep at night, online counseling could be helpful. In one study, researchers assessed the efficacy of an online intervention consisting of “psychoeducation, sleep hygiene, and stimulus control instruction, sleep restriction treatment, relaxation training, cognitive therapy, and help with medication tapering.” They found that the treatment produced statistically significant improvements in “sleep quality, insomnia severity, and daytime fatigue.” Further, there were notable changes in participants’ dysfunctional beliefs about sleep as well as shifts in those habits that led to pre-sleep cognitive arousal.

Takeaway

If you’re waking up in the middle of the night, it can be discouraging, but try not to fret. Anxiety about missing sleep can quicken your heart rate, and paradoxically make you stay up longer. There are various reasons you could be waking up in the middle of the night, including bathroom breaks, low blood sugar, anxiety, or menopausal hot flashes. Try tips like leaving the lights off, mindfulness and meditation, covering your clocks, staying away from phones, and intentionally lowering your heart rate. If the problem persists, consider speaking with a professional to get to the root of the issue and to see what options you have for treatment. If mental health problems are to blame, an online Regain therapist can offer their support and guidance to help you get a more restful night of sleep.