Why do I wake up at the same time at night?

Do you wake up at the same time every night? If so, you should know that it is a common phenomenon and that it can be due to several factors. Next, we analyze them.

3:30 in the morning arrives and my eyes open. Why do I wake up at the same time at night? Many people ask this same question. They do this by feeling how their sleep cycle is suddenly interrupted at a specific time. It is as if the brain had an internal alarm that forced it to suddenly go from the dream world to consciousness.

There are those who attribute it to supernatural or even spiritual factors. Some believe that this periodic awakening is a result of anxiety. Even more, the explanation may lie in the purification cycles carried out by the body, as explained in Chinese medicine. There is no shortage of the most varied theories and speculations on this topic. Now, there is something obvious: any interruption of rest during the night translates into exhaustion and discomfort.

We cannot ignore that sudden and chronic awakenings also fall within sleep disorders. And if our quality of life is affected by this fact, It is advisable to apply appropriate strategies to be able to reconcile deep rest, continuous and quality. Let’s find out what’s behind this phenomenon and what we can do.

Causes of why I wake up at the same time at night

Any waking up in the middle of the night or the simple fact of staying awake hours before the usual time is a sleep disturbance.. There will be those who, after that awakening, can reconcile rest again. However, on average, it is quite difficult to return to that deep sleep. All this translates into a gradual deterioration of physical and psychological balance.

Thus, soon, problems with memory and concentration arise, the typical mental fog that causes insomnia and, of course, the risk of suffering from a health problem. So, when I ask myself why I wake up at the same time at night, the first thing I need to understand is that I may have a problem.

The reasons why I wake up at the same time every night are very varied and can range from insomnia to anxiety.

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Above all, if the time it takes me to fall asleep again goes much longer than half an hour. However, let’s know what causes may exist behind this phenomenon.

The hypnogenic state

We call dream architecture the form and characteristics that define each phase of this period. Thus, each of these stages goes through a part of wakefulness, then drowsiness, from there to light sleep, slow sleep (phase III) and, finally, the REM phase.

One of the reasons why we can always wake up at the same time is because of the hypnogenic state. Its about instant between the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one: the transition from sleep to wakefulness.

If we always go to bed at the same time, it is possible that our first cycles also end at the same time of night. The peculiarity is that There are people who stay awake for a few seconds and then roll over on the pillow. to continue sleeping. On the other hand, others wake up completely and the first thing they do is look at the time.

Middle of the night insomnia

Middle-of-the-night insomnia is a sleep disorder that is also defined as biphasic sleep. It consists of a sudden irruption in the middle of the rest cycle, causing the night to be divided into two parts. The origin would be an alteration of melatonin, the hormone that facilitates nighttime sleep.

Thus, a common fact is that this unexpected awakening almost always occurs in the same period of time. These awakenings can also be due to maintenance insomnia, in which frequent or prolonged periods of wakefulness appear during sleep, according to an article published in Family Medicine.

Why do I wake up at the same time at night? Anxiety and alertness

When we go through times of high stress and anxiety, it is common to suffer from nighttime awakenings. Some experts suggest that there is a high comorbidity between anxiety and insomnia. What’s more, we may always wake up at the same time. How can it be?

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In general, People with an anxiety disorder experience high physical and emotional activation that accumulates during the day and that remains latent during the night.

All that hyperarousal doesn’t just stay attached to the body. The brain is always in a state of alert, with the feeling that we must escape or defend ourselves from something. So, It is common to wake up due to high anxiety in the middle of the night, wrapped in sweat, tachycardia and a feeling of suffocation.

The fact that the time coincides more or less is due to the fact that the mind has become accustomed to returning us to consciousness at a specific time of the night.

Anxiety is one of the most common causes of waking up at night at the same time, due to all the overexcitement throughout the day.

Health disorders

Why do I wake up at the same time at night? Faced with this question, and above all, if we experience this phenomenon recurrently, it is best to go to our doctor. It is important to consider that There may be various physiological alterations capable of orchestrating these awakenings. sudden in the middle of the night.

On average, they can be caused by the following conditions:

Sleep apnea. Gastroesophageal reflux. Hormonal alterations. Glucose fluctuations.

What to do about these nocturnal awakenings?

When you wake up every night and your quality of life is affected, you need to seek professional help. Ideally, you should first consult a doctor to rule out any biological cause; If everything is fine, seek psychotherapeutic help, as the cause may be mental.

In parallel with the type of consultation you attend, keep in mind the following recommendations that we will make to you. We warn you that in some cases these will be insufficient if you do not go to a professional.

1. Avoid staying in bed

Don’t stay in bed if you wake up and can’t get back to sleep. Get up and do some low-effort activity under dim lighting. Exposing yourself to strong light after midnight is not a good decision because it inhibits the release of melatonin, according to research results.

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Some activities you could do with the light off are: meditate, do breathing exercises, listen to a podcast, stretch. Avoid thinking about your work or doing any activity that generates stress. Don’t spend time on things that you know can make you anxious. These emotional states are not good allies of sleep.

2. Find ways to manage stress and anxiety

We already said it, stress and anxiety are one of the causes of recurrent nighttime awakenings. Therefore, you must look for appropriate ways to manage these emotions. Some alternatives are: breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, physical exercise during the day and even psychotherapy.

3. Put healthy habits into practice

People who do not lead a healthy life tend to develop sleep problems. Therefore, it is important that you eat a balanced diet according to your needs. Although more studies are needed, some research suggests that Food plays an important role in the resolution and prevention of insomnia. It is also important that you avoid a sedentary lifestyle.

4. Try to maintain a sleep schedule

Respect your schedule and don’t go to bed before or after the established time. Keep in mind that the ideal is to “train” the body to learn what hours of sleep and hours of wakefulness are.

Sleep well, is live better

To conclude, faced with this curious phenomenon of recurring awakenings at the same time, it is important not to focus solely on what is anecdotal or striking. If it is something that we suffer continuously, it is necessary to know the cause and improve our sleep hygiene.

We should not detract from our sleep because it is a key factor for our well-being. Sleep well, is live better. Therefore, in the event of any disturbance we must be attentive and with the best disposition to receive the help we need as the case may be.