Understanding nocturnal awakenings: The biology behind 3 am wake-ups

Do you often wake up at 3 am and unable to go back to sleep? Pop culture often associates this time of night with the so-called "witching hour," but there is no need to worry. It’s not ghosts responsible for our nighttime awakenings, but rather pure biology, which is much kinder. Moreover, biology provides a few tips to help us avoid these nocturnal awakenings.

To understand why we wake up at a certain time, we must first understand how our internal biological clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, works.

Our body operates on a certain rhythm that drives us to sleep at night and stay awake during the day. Many of us experience a so-called "physiological dip" between 2:00 am and 4:00 am, when our body is naturally programmed to lower its temperature and slow down metabolism, which can lead to waking.

However, reducing stress, managing or curing coexisting conditions, and developing healthy sleep habits can prevent us from experiencing nighttime awakenings.

Among the health problems that can lead to regular nighttime awakenings are insomnia, sleep apnoea, and restless legs syndrome.

However, not only typical "nighttime" conditions can cause such awakenings. Sometimes, individuals suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease and asthma, as well as those taking certain medications (such as beta-carotenes or antidepressants), can experience nighttime awakenings.

To improve the quality of sleep and reduce the likelihood of waking up at night, it’s worth first trying out a few simple strategies. Without them, it's a no-go!

First, regulating the internal biological clock requires maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, which means we should go to bed and wake up at (roughly) the same time every day.

Second, we should sleep in conditions that are comfortable for our body. This means the bedroom should be dark and cool, and the pillows and mattress should be comfortable.

Before bed, we should avoid using devices that emit blue light and drinking fluids that could turn a nighttime awakening into a bathroom necessity. Additionally, we should maintain a balanced diet (and avoid eating right before bed) and engage in regular physical activity.

If nighttime awakenings still frequently occur despite implementing the above advice, it is worth consulting a doctor or specialist. Treatment, cognitive-behavioural therapy, or significant lifestyle modifications may be necessary.