You're not alone if you find yourself waking up at 3am. Here's how to actually fall back asleep
There's nothing, and I mean nothing, worse than waking up and realising it's only 3am, leaving you plenty of time to go back to sleep before your alarm… except you can't.
Personally, half the time this happens to me is because a crying child woke me up, and I just can't go back to sleep once I've done a resettle.
But other times I'm just… awake at ridiculous times in the morning, and I'm not alone.
There's a reason why you might be waking up at 3am, and an expert reveals what's going on. Getty Images/iStockphoto
So, we reached out to an expert to find out why this happens and how to actually go back to sleep.
"Early morning waking often stems from depression, anxiety, stress, age-related circadian rhythm shifts, hormonal changes, or inconsistent sleep habits," Carly Dober, psychologist adviser at Ecosa, told nine.com.au.
"Counterintuitively, one effective solution is going to bed later to build stronger sleep pressure.
"If you're only managing six hours of sleep, wait until six hours before your alarm to hit the pillow."
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One of the biggest factors in your middle-of-the-night wakes is not building enough sleep pressure before bedtime. Getty Images/iStockphoto
You should also try to focus on consistency if you're finding this happening a lot.
Dober suggests maintaining the same sleep and wake times daily, and yes, that includes weekends too.
"Get plenty of bright light exposure in the morning to reset your body clock, while cutting out caffeine, alcohol, and excessive fluids before bed," she said.
"Create an ideal sleep environment that's dark, quiet, and cool, paired with a calming bedtime routine."
She said if this keeps going on for more than three months, it might be time to consult with a doctor to investigate if there is something else causing your sleepless nights.
But while you're working on your sleep routine, what can you actually do when it happens to you?
Turns out there are some helpful tips and things you can do when you find yourself unable to fall back asleep at around 3am.
"If you're still awake after 20 minutes, resist the urge to stay in bed tossing and turning," Dober said.
"Instead, get up and do something calming in dim lighting, read, meditate, or listen to soft music – then return to bed only when drowsiness returns.
"This approach prevents your brain from linking your bed with frustration and wakefulness."
"Research tells us that stressing about sleep can often also make it more difficult to fall asleep." Getty
Dober also said to avoid just watching the clock, particularly because it can increase anxiety and make falling back to sleep even harder.
"Keep in mind that it is normal for adults to wake up some nights, and having perfect sleep all the time is not realistic," she added.
"Research tells us that stressing about sleep can often also make it more difficult to fall asleep, and sleep can become stressful."
Tips for a better nights sleep
- Optimise your sleep environment by keeping it cool (16 – 19 degrees celcius), dark, and comfortable.
- Practice progressive muscle relaxation to release physical tension.
- Avoid alcohol before bed, as it fragments sleep and causes nighttime awakenings, and limit evening fluids to reduce bathroom trips.
- Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and managing daytime stress through relaxation techniques also helps minimise middle-of-the-night disruptions.
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