Your room is dark, it’s silent and all you have are your racing thoughts. The clock says 3am and you wonder if you’re the only one but as it turns out, you’re definitely not alone and here’s why
Waking up in the middle of the night to see the same early time on your phone or clock can feel concerning and leave you wondering why, but the real reasons behind why this happens is so much more than just a racing mind, as people are beginning to discover. We all know that a good night’s sleep is vital yet waking in the night is a common occurrence for many.
Typically at around 3 and 4am most people awaken – even a little – and according to one study by sleepfoundation.org, 35.5% jolt awake at this early time slot more than three times a week. Many wide-eyed and restless sleepers believe the reason behind this is their overactive mind, but that’s not quite true.
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Whilst reliving memories and simply overthinking can cause you to wake up, one cognitive therapist sheds a little more light on the situation. Sleep expert Greg Murray said: “Waking and worrying at 3am is very understandable and very human.”
The collective 3am experience of waking up is actually tied closely to how our bodies function on a day-to-day basis, and Greg – who is the Director of the Centre for Mental Health at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia – has tied the unusual phenomenon to neurobiology and hormones.
To break this down, during a normal night’s sleep we typically hit a substantial turning point at around 3 or 4am thanks to our nervous system’s structure, function and development, known as our ‘neurobiology.’
Our core temperatures begin to rise, we’re rested so sleep pressures ease, our sleep hormone known as melatonin has peaked and our stress hormone, cortisol, is gearing up a little as it subtly prepares for the day ahead. This all happens even without being influenced by external signals like bright light peering through your curtains or traffic building. In fact, our bodies are built to predict sunrise and sunset thanks to our natural circadian rhythm.
But if you find yourself jolting awake often, it’s likely stress-related. Rising cortisol levels play a key part in how awake you feel during the middle of the night so if you find yourself it’s likely you’re more stressed than usual. Cortisol triggers the release of sugar from your liver, giving your body a quick burst of energy.
We all wake up a few times in the night though, even if we’re not aware, says Greg. “We are simply unaware of these awakenings.” Stress will just make these awakenings more prominent, and can cause hypervigilance – causing anxiety and a feeling of being on edge – which then leads to insomnia.
Greg also pointed out that fundamental things are missing when you sleep – social connections and cultural comforts. “With none of our human skills and capital, we are left alone in the dark with our thoughts,” he explained.
“So the mind is partly right when it concludes the problems it’s generated are unsolvable – at 3am, most problems literally would be.”
So what can you do about it? Greg recommends Buddhist-informed mindfulness during the day to manage stress which will in turn help if you run into these same feelings at 3am. And sometimes, if all else fails, traditional cognitive therapy advice is best – get up, turn on a dim light and distract your mind with a little light reading before easing back into some solid shut eye.
