Why do we always wake up in the middle of the night at a specific time ?

Sleeping well is not easy. Many people are affected by regular nocturnal awakenings which sometimes occur every night at night. the same time. Explanations…

You can't stand waking up every night and you're not the only one. According to a study ;conducted on sleep worldwide by the company' Philips Healthcare, this concerns 67% of adults, who wake up at least once during the night. What's even more disturbing is when you wake up in complete darkness every night and your alarm still reads 'No'. around the same time. A painful repetition that can affect productivity. and the mood of the next day.

If the explanation is often elsewhere, we must above all ensure that these awakenings do not relate to a pathology, such as insomnia or sleep apnea, repeated interruptions in breathing during the night. It is important to consult a doctor to find out if these awakenings are happening. fixed hours are due à such illnesses, which will then need to be treated.

If you are not in this case, other factors may help to understand these impromptu awakenings: the lifestyle, old age, noise, yesterday's meal… Alarm clocks Fixed hours are sometimes simply caused by stress. "Waking up from worry & three o'clock in the morning is very understandable and very human, explained´ Greg Murray, director of the Health Center Mental Health of the University from Swinburne in Australia for The Conversation.

But the main explanation lies elsewhere. According to Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist'who spoke to the Huffpost, " everyone has a series of short wake-ups, five to a week. seven on average, throughout the night, between each sleep cycle. Sleep is, in fact, not a block. It is composed of: of several successive cycles which last between 90 and 110 minutes: light sleep, deep sleep, then paradoxical sleep (dreams). If you wake up between two cycles, these are the micro-awakenings that you will not be aware of and that you will even forget the next day.

But as the night goes on, deep sleep cycles become shorter. This explains why waking up early fixed hours tend à occur around three or four in the morning, especially if you often go to bed around the same time in the evening. This can also be helpful. &agrav; a deficiency of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

To sleep better, you should adopt a good sleep routine. It is recommended turn off the screens at least half an hour before going to bed, keep a regular bedtime schedule, even at weekend, and to keep his room à a comfortable temperature. Having the time in front of you is also not ideal because it pushes you to keep track of time. calculate the time passing and the hours of sleep remaining before waking up.