Are you tired in the evening, fall asleep quickly – and then suddenly find yourself wide awake at 2 or 3 in the morning? You’re not alone. Many people have no trouble falling asleep, but struggle to stay asleep.
There can be various reasons for waking up during the night. Often, several factors come into play at the same time.
We talk about sleep disruption when you wake up repeatedly during the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep. Waking up briefly is perfectly normal – our sleep follows cycles.
It becomes a problem when:
Waking up during the night is usually no coincidence. The body is reacting to internal or external stimuli.
A common trigger is stress. Even if you fall asleep easily in the evening, your nervous system can become active during the night. The stress hormone cortisol naturally rises in the early hours of the morning. If you’re feeling stressed, this rise can cause you to wake up – and your mind immediately starts racing.
Physical processes can also disrupt sleep:
The body is more sensitive to changes at night than during the day.
Light sources, noises or a room that is too warm can also cause you to wake up from a lighter stage of sleep.
Hormonal changes – for example, during certain stages of life, such as the menopause – can affect sleep patterns. Here, too, the nervous system reacts more sensitively to internal stimuli.
For many people, the real problem isn’t waking up itself, but lying awake afterwards. As soon as thoughts start to intrude or a sense of restlessness sets in, the nervous system becomes further stimulated.
The greater the pressure becomes (‘I have to sleep now!’), the harder it is to let go.
Sleep occurs in cycles – and periods of wakefulness are a natural part of the biological process. If you have no trouble falling asleep but do struggle to stay asleep, this is often due to increased night-time activity in the nervous system.
The better you understand the possible triggers, the more effectively you can address them – and get your sleep back on track.
Valuable insights and helpful hints for your health – encouraging proactive self-care and enhancing your quality of life
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