Quality sleep is the key to well-being. However, for many it happens that the night starts well, then a sudden awakening follows, after which it is no longer possible to fall asleep fully. What is the reason for this? Why do you wake up at 3 a.m.?
Sleep phases
Why does a person wake up at 3 a.m.? Most likely, this is due to a certain phase of sleep. Almost everyone knows that a dream consists of certain periods, repeating one after another. Each cycle lasts approximately an hour and a half and consists of slow and fast sleep. Deep sleep is the most important for the body, it helps to restore the strength and function of the brain. During REM sleep, a person also rests, but the activity of the body is increased. At this time, any noise or discomfort can lead to awakening.
To fully sleep at night, you need to survive at least four full sleep cycles. An adult healthy person should sleep at night for about 6 hours. Many people ask the question "why do I wake up at 3-4 a.m." It is possible that this is due to early going to bed. As a result, by this time the body already feels rested.
Insomnia
Why do you wake up at 3 a.m. and feel unwell all the next day? Obviously, I had to deal with insomnia. There can be many reasons for this condition. Most often this is observed after excessive mental or physical exertion. The body is so tired that it simply can not "disconnect." Even if you manage to fall asleep, then awakening at night is inevitable. In addition, then falling asleep normally fails. Unpleasant symptoms can be observed against a background of stress or depression.
Improper nutrition can also lead to insomnia. Why do you wake up at 3 a.m.? It is possible that this is due to the habit of eating at night. This leads not only to sleep disturbance, but also to the appearance of extra pounds. Before going to bed, it is also not recommended to load the stomach.
It is also not recommended to violate the daily routine. Night awakenings are often observed in those who sleep a lot during the day. As a result, the body feels rested. A long night's sleep is simply not necessary.
If night awakenings are observed for a long time, it is worth consulting with a specialist. The pathological process can progress. The lack of proper sleep will lead to the development of other unpleasant symptoms - headaches, decreased concentration, etc.
How to deal with insomnia?
First of all, you need to find out why you wake up at 3 a.m. The cause of insomnia must be eliminated. Excessive physical and emotional stress at bedtime should be minimized. The last meal should occur two hours before bedtime. If insomnia is a consequence of stress and you can’t cope with negative thoughts yourself, you should make an appointment with a psychologist.
If sleep problems are temporary, you can use one of the many methods to combat insomnia. The first thing to do is to create a special evening ritual of going to bed. Every day it is necessary to perform the same actions that will signal the brain "we will soon sleep." For many, it is enough to ventilate the room, make hygiene procedures and make the bed. The favorite book also helps to fall asleep quickly.
Good results are shown by relaxation exercises. You can carry them out even if you had to wake up in the middle of the night and fail to fall asleep again. It is necessary to lie on your back and relax all the muscles of the body, not excluding the face. If you find the right position, sleep will come in 5-10 minutes.
Insomnia in children
Why does the child wake up at 3 a.m. and cannot fall asleep? If we are talking about a baby up to a year, it is possible that the baby mixed up day and night. In this case, it is necessary to rebuild the child’s biological clock, give him less sleep during the day. Of course, it will take several days to endure the vagaries, but soon the night’s sleep will be established.
It often happens that children closer to the year wake up at night and cry. Kids calm down only if you pick them up. There is a simple psychological explanation for this. The child gets used to fall asleep under motion sickness. And if something woke him up, he could not fall asleep on his own. This situation will continue until the baby is taught to sleep on its own.
So that the child sleeps more calmly at night, you can practice joint sleep. Even if the child wakes up at night, he will feel safe and will learn to fall asleep on his own.
Conclusion
Frequent night awakenings with the inability to fully fall asleep is a problem that must be solved. If sleep disturbances are observed for a long time, you can not do without the help of a specialist. It is important to find out the cause of insomnia, to establish the regime of the day, to refuse night snacks.
If sleep problems are observed in a child, you should contact your pediatrician for help.