You Might Be Sabotaging Your Sleep (And Your Work) Without Realizing It The occasional waking up in the middle of the night is harmless. It could be something more serious if sleep is interrupted frequently.
By John Rampton Edited by Mark Klekas
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Generally speaking, it's not a significant issue to occasionally wake up during your sleep each night. But, it can still be frustrating and disruptive to your sleep. It's something I've dealt with before, and I know from experience how challenging it can be to get back on a regular sleep schedule once it's been disrupted.
In this situation, individuals may experience sleep deprivation, which is when they are not able to get enough sleep. Various lifestyle factors, work conditions and environmental factors can cause sleep deprivation. A sleep disorder or chronic medical condition can also affect sleep quality.
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Insufficient sleep or disrupted sleep can negatively affect daytime functioning, including poor concentration, slower reaction times and moodiness. In addition to draining your mental abilities, sleep deprivation can also negatively affect your physical health.
The good news? There are a few things you can do to identify the cause and resolve the issue if you find yourself waking up frequently at night.
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Causes of waking up in the middle of the night
A person may wake up in the middle of the night for a variety of reasons. Among the most common causes are:
Poor sleep hygiene
The term "sleep hygiene" refers to your sleeping habits. In other words, these are the things you do on a daily basis that can affect your ability to sleep well at night. If you practice good sleep hygiene, you will be able to sleep better, but the reverse is also true.
Factors affecting your sleep quality could include things like changing your sleep schedule, having excessive screen time before bed, drinking alcohol or caffeine before bed, eating certain types of foods that cause acid reflux or indigestion and smoking. All of these things are extremely disruptive to your sleep because they either keep you awake later or they wake you up earlier than you had planned. This is why it's crucial to limit your intake of things that can cause issues that keep you awake.
A physical cause
Some health conditions may seem worse at night. Whether these are chronic health issues, or just short-term health issues, it's important to keep in mind any potential physical ailments that could be worsening your sleep health.
Physical pain due to chronic health problems is a common cause of sleep trouble. Other health-related causes could include breathing issues, digestive health conditions, hormones, diseases affecting the brain and nerves, as well as the frequent need to urinate. Regardless of the health issue you may be having, it's important that you tell your doctor so they can help you get these issues addressed. They may be able to provide a treatment plan or advise some lifestyle changes, either of which could potentially control your symptoms and increase your sleep quality.
Psychological causes
It is not uncommon for people to wake up in the middle of the night due to stress. As a result, your sleep is lighter and you cannot get deep, or REM, sleep while you sleep. While stress affects us all differently, research suggests that once you develop insomnia from stress, you may not be able to return to pre-insomnia sleep levels. As a result, nighttime awakenings can increase.
A sleep disorder
A sleep disorder is a collection of conditions that interfere with sleep and wake cycles. The following are some examples of sleep disorders:
- Insomnia. About 30% of adults suffer from insomnia. A person who suffers from insomnia has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep or wakes up early and cannot get back to sleep. Stress, anxiety, depression, medical conditions, and medications can all contribute to insomnia.
- Sleep apnea. An individual with sleep apnea experiences frequent interruptions in their breathing during sleep. As a result, you might wake up gasping for air.
- Restless legs syndrome. Your legs feel tingly or prickly, making you want to stretch or move them. At night, it can be even worse.
- Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). Those with restless legs are often affected by this condition as well. There is a sudden jerk in your arms and legs that wakes you up.
- Narcolepsy. This condition causes excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden muscle weakness. It is also possible for people suffering from narcolepsy to suffer from cataplexy, which is a sudden loss of muscle tone.
- Night terrors. When you sleep, you might scream, thrash, or act scared. Although most commonly found in children, night terrors can also affect adults.
As well as affecting your physical and mental health, sleep disorders can negatively impact your daily life. For treatment of any of these sleep disorders, you should consult your doctor.
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Environmental factors
There could be something in your bedroom that wakes you up in the middle of the night. It could be something obvious, such as a partner who snores, or something you don't even notice, such as a hot room.
If you want undisturbed sleep, your sleep environment needs to have specific qualities. First, it should be dark, and also cool. Between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit tends to do well. It should also be quiet. Or, if you sleep better with some consistent sound because noises wake you up, a white noise machine could be helpful.
Medications
Sleep disturbances or nighttime awakenings can be caused by certain medications.
- Beta-Blockers. In addition to treating hypertension, these medications suppress melatonin production in the body, which can affect sleep. Because melatonin promotes sleep, this suppression can make it difficult to sleep well. Studies suggest that supplementing with melatonin can counteract the sleep-affecting effects of beta-blockers.
- Diuretics. A diuretic lowers blood pressure by reducing your body's water content. They may cause you to urinate more frequently, however. You may have difficulty falling back asleep if you wake frequently at night to use the restroom.
- Antidepressants. Antidepressants help treat depression and other mental health disorders. They, however, can cause sleep problems.
You should speak with your doctor if you have concerns about your current medications.
Aging
You might experience nighttime awakenings as you age. Circadian rhythm changes in middle age lead to adults waking up more frequently at night and experiencing shorter sleep durations. Also, older adults often have a harder time falling asleep at night and are more likely to wake up too early in the morning. Then, they struggle to fall asleep again.
It has been found that cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia as well as strategic light exposure can help.
How to identify the cause of your night waking
It's important to identify the cause if you're regularly waking up in the middle of the night so that you can find effective solutions. For example, you could consider keeping a sleep diary. If you track your sleep habits, you can identify patterns and potential triggers of your night wakings.
If your night waking persists despite improving your sleep hygiene, talk to your doctor. If you have any underlying medical conditions, they can help rule them out and recommend other treatment options to you.
Solutions for waking up in the middle of the night
After identifying the cause of your night wakings, you can work toward solving them. Improve your bedtime routine by implementing strategies like having better sleep hygiene, getting into a regular exercise routine, and not looking at the clock (especially right before bed).
Another tip would be to try getting out of bed if you aren't able to fall asleep within 20 minutes. This is because when you lie in bed awake, you may feel frustrated and anxious, which can make falling asleep even more difficult. Spend some time doing something relaxing, such as reading a book, until you feel sleepy again.
As advised above, talk to your doctor if you have chronic problems waking up in the middle of the night. To help you sleep better, they may recommend additional treatments or therapies.
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