Why Do I Keep Waking Up At 3 a.m.? Expert Tips & Advice

Whether it’s an occasional occurrence or a consistent habit, waking up at 3 a.m can be frustrating and exhausting. Though it’s not usually a cause for concern, there can be numerous reasons for this behavior. You may be able to curb it with a few lifestyle adjustments, or it might be time to schedule an appointment with a health professional to provide more insight into the problem.

Note: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice, and it shouldn’t take the place of medical advice and supervision from a trained professional. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately.

Why Do You Wake Up At 3 a.m.?

Though your 3 a.m. wakeups can be caused by various health conditions, they also may come down to life habits and disruptive factors like traffic, street lights, or noisy neighbors in your environment.

“A few factors include the effects of substances or medications, poor sleep hygiene, external stimuli such as noises or discomfort, the need to use the restroom, or a low sleep drive,” Dr. Kristen Casey, a licensed clinical psychologist and insomnia specialist, tells Sleepopolis. 

We’ll dig more into those factors in a bit, but it’s also important to note that it’s not always a problem that you wake up in the middle of the night. Dr. Shelby Harris, Sleepopolis’ director of sleep health, says waking up in the middle of the night at the same time can just be a part of your natural sleep cycle as long as you’re able to fall back asleep. 

“It’s totally normal to wake up in the middle of the night as long as you’re not up for a long time,” Harris says. 

 Now let’s take a closer look at some of the more easy-to-change habits that might be causing your middle of the night wake ups. 

Lifestyle Choices

Some of your seemingly harmless daytime habits could be the key to why you’re waking up at 3 a.m. Those habits may include: 

• Alcohol consumption. Though alcohol may help you drift off to sleep, “we’ve seen that alcohol can cause frequent awakenings throughout the night,” says Casey. Generally, it’s best to have your last drink at least 4 hours before bedtime, as some studies suggest. 
• An afternoon cup of coffee. Indulging in caffeine too late in the day can mess with your sleep in a host of ways. That includes increasing the amount of time you spend in light sleep, which may contribute to those 3 a.m wake ups. Some studies  advise cutting the caffeine at least 8.8 hours before bed. 
• Not getting enough exercise. Some research shows that not getting enough exercise or physical activity during the day may be associated with more frequent sleep disturbances throughout the night. 
• Noise pollution. If you live somewhere that leaves you exposed to noisy night time traffic or loud neighbors, those factors could be contributing to those 3 a.m. wake up calls — luckily, there are white noise machines that may help remedy the situation.  

Other habits that may contribute to earlier-than-desired awakenings include too much napping (here’s how to do it properly), overeating and/or eating too close to bedtime, or a less-than-ideal sleeping environment (follow these tips for designing a snooze sanctuary).

Insomnia 

Waking up at 3 a.m. may be a form of insomnia, but it depends on the situation. Chronic insomnia is characterized by trouble falling and/or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months, so the occasional 3 a.m. wake up might not apply here. Then there’s short-term insomnia, which might last a few days or weeks and might be caused by factors like jet lag or stress.  

However, if you’re consistently waking up and staying up in the middle of the night, you may have a type of insomnia called maintenance insomnia, or middle insomnia. 

What you can do: Chronic insomnia doesn’t have a quick fix, but there are proven treatment options you can look into. First and foremost, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about getting treatment. From there, they may recommend cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) (especially for children), which is a multi-week treatment plan designed to help you adjust any negative thought patterns or unhelpful behaviors associated with sleep. Your healthcare provider may also advise you on adjusting your sleep hygiene practices or prescribe sleep medication in the short term. 

Mental And Emotional Challenges 

Without a doubt, stress throws a monkey wrench into our normal operating procedures — even though sleep is often exactly what we need to not feel so much pressure. Some research indicates that stress frequently causes “fragmented” sleep, which is defined by frequent awakenings throughout the sleep cycle. 

Anxiety, whether clinically diagnosed or heightened by stress, can also potentially interrupt your normal sleep cycle. Casey says people with anxiety might be in a state of “hyperarousal, which means they may experience intense worry or anticipation that wakes them up throughout the night.” 

Stereotypically, it’s believed that people with depression sleep all the time, but that’s not always the case. Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that many individuals who feel stressed during a depressive episode might deal with “more nighttime wake-ups and [have] more trouble getting back to sleep than someone without depression would experience.”  

What you can do: If you have a mental health disorder,it’s important to work with a healthcare provider to take care of your mental health. If you’re working to combat occasional bouts of anxiety and stress, you might: 

• Try a relaxation technique. Meditation before bed can have a positive impact on sleep quality. Feel free to experiment with different meditation and breathing techniques, like box breathing, or the 4-7-8 breathing technique. 
• Use a weighted blanket. Though research is ongoing, studies show that pressure therapy may help improve sleep quality thanks to its potentially calming effects. Just make sure you choose a blanket that’s the right weight for you. 
• Get out of bed. Lying awake with your stressors circling your mind likely isn’t going to help you fall back asleep. Instead, get out of bed and do a relaxing, screenless activity until you feel sleepy. 

Age

As we age, we spend more time in light sleep phases, likely creating more opportunities to wake up throughout the night. Our sleep needs change throughout our lives, too — here are the sleep requirements recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

• Teens (13-17): 8 to 10 hours
• Adults (18-60): 7 hours or more
• Adults (61-64): 7 – 9 hours
• Older Adults (65+): 7 to 8 hours

As you can see, planning for at least seven hours of sleep is potentially ideal for living a well-rested and healthful life as an adult. There is some variation from person to person, so if you’re getting a bit more or less than is recommended for your age group and you feel well rested, there probably isn’t any need to worry.  

What you can do: If you’re getting older and finding you’re waking up at 3 a.m., consider adding some sleep accessories that will block out any disruptors. White noise machines can help with ambient noise, and blackout curtains can help block out any light. 

Medications 

Many types of medications and substances impact the quality of our rest. This includes but isn’t limited to: 

• Alpha agonists
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors 
• Appetite suppressants
• Beta agonists
• Beta blockers
• Cold medicines and decongestants
• Diuretics
• Dopamine agonists
• Niacin
• Steroids
• Theophylline

What you can do: If you’ve experienced interrupted sleep as a side effect of these medications, ask your physician if there’s a more suitable alternative for your condition. 

 Health Conditions

Various medical illnesses can compound sleep issues, and there are many reasons why. Have you noticed a connection to waking up at 3 a.m. with any of the following?

• Nocturia, also known as nocturnal urinary frequency, is caused by various health and lifestyle issues. Individuals with this condition have disrupted sleep cycles likely because they have to wake up at least once before the alarm goes off to relieve themselves. 
• GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, often impacts people more often during sleep. Some studies indicate people can be affected by acid reflux and wake up as a result, even if they don’t have obvious symptoms such as heartburn or upset stomach.  
• Menstrual syndrome, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and pregnancy can cause women to experience a range of problems due to hormonal shifts, and sleep interruption might be one of them.
• Perimenopause and menopause are time periods where good rest is merely a suggestion for many women who may experience hot flashes, night sweats, and more extreme hormonal fluctuations. 
• When someone has arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, and other chronic pain conditions, a full night’s rest can be challenging sometimes. Experts also point to chronic pain’s potential interference with a person’s ability to move through all stages of sleep. What’s worse, because of sleep deprivation, our bodies can produce an excessive amount of cytokines, which accelerates inflammation and causes more pain. 

What you can do: Each health condition is unique, so it’s best to work with your healthcare team to find the best solutions for you. 

Sleep Disorders 

More than 50 million adults in the United States have a sleep disorder. Some of the most common conditions include: 

• Sleep Apnea
• Restless Leg Syndrome
• Shift Work Disorder
• Narcolepsy

What you can do: It’s a good option to work with your healthcare provider to get any sleep disorders treated — starting a breathing device, like a CPAP, if you have sleep apnea, for example, may both safeguard your health and keep you from waking up at 3 a.m. gasping for air. 

Circadian Rhythm/Sleep Drive Issues

Circadian rhythm issues can also cause middle of the night sleep problems. If you have advanced sleep phase syndrome (meaning you go to bed very early and wake up very early) it’s possible that your body clock is a bit off kilter — advanced more than you’d like, in this case. You may need to talk with a sleep specialist to help recalibrate and push your mid-night awakening to a more reasonable time. 

It’s also possible that you simply haven’t built up your sleep drive enough. When we wake up in the morning after a good night’s sleep, our body’s need for sleep starts at zero because we’ve just woken up. Every minute that you’re awake throughout the day slowly builds up your sleep drive (kind of like your “appetite for sleep”) to the point where you’re super-hungry for sleep at bedtime. This then leads to a nice, full “meal” of sleep at night. 

What you can do: If you think you have sleep drive issues, try revisiting your sleep routine. If you wake up later in the morning, go to bed too early at night, or take naps during the day (even short dozes), it is essentially snacking on sleep — you might start by cutting out naptime or trying to wake up a bit earlier. 

When To Talk To Your Doctor 

If you’re consistently waking up during the night or finding you can’t fall or stay asleep, it may be time to reach out to your doctor. “I always suggest that someone see their healthcare provider if they experience consistent awakenings overnight around the same time,” Casey adds. “It gives me a reason to believe that they may be engaging in a behavior that contributes to the awakenings, or they may need assistance in shifting their sleep window.” 

Tips For Sleeping Through The Night 

If you receive a good bill of health but still need to break the habit of waking up repeatedly when you don’t want to, we have resources that can help. 

• Follow this 30-day sleep hygiene plan.  
• Use a sleep calculator to gain a better understanding of how much rest you really need.
• Create a consistent, soothing bedtime routine with features such as a warm bath, music, meditation, prayer or quiet reflection, and other relaxing techniques. 
• Cool the bedroom to 60–67 degrees. 
• Reduce your exposure to blue light screens at least an hour before calling it a night.
• Avoid looking at your alarm clock throughout the night — counting down your remaining hours of sleep will only make those 3 a.m. wake ups more stressful.
• Incorporate some soothing sounds into your sleep routine, especially if you’re easily disturbed by noise. 
• Make sure your sleep essentials work for you — soft, breathable bedding and a mattress made for your sleep preference can go a long way toward a good night’s rest. 

Casey weighs in with her top three recommendations, too: 

• Maintain consistency with your daily wake time. 
• Limit substances, such as alcohol and nicotine, close to bedtime.
• Try various ways to manage stress and anxiety more effectively, especially when certain uncontrollable stressors don’t have solutions. Her advice? Try cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. 

The Last Word From Sleepopolis

Whether you’re managing a health condition, taking a certain type of medication, or simply can’t get on a good sleep schedule because of stress and responsibilities, take heart: You won’t wake up at 3 a.m. forever. Hopefully with what you know now, you can understand the reasons for this peculiarity and how to remedy it.