Insomnia Tips: How to Stop Waking Up in the Middle of the Night
Waking up in the middle of the night? Think you have insomnia? The truth is that pretty much everyone wakes up several times per night. The only difference is that good sleepers fall back asleep without noticing.
Then there’s the other lot. Many people assume that if they’re wide-eyed at 3 a.m., something’s gone wrong with their sleep. Often, this is less about being “bad at sleeping” and more about what’s going on in the moment—plus how well you prime your mind and body for rest long before you hit the hay. The good news: Most middle-of-the-night wake-ups follow predictable patterns. And once you know what they are, they’re surprisingly fixable.
We asked experts to break down the most common causes of insomnia and how to fix them.
Drinking too much before bed
Drinking before bed is one of the most common reasons why men wake up in the middle of the night. Waking once to pee isn’t unusual, says Justin Houman, MD, a board-certified urologist and men’s health specialist at Tower Urology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Waking multiple times and struggling to fall back asleep is—and it’s more common the older you get. (These red flags could signal nocturia, a symptom of underlying health issues such as prostate enlargement, diabetes, or sleep apnea.)
The fix: Dr. Houman advises stopping fluid intake two to three hours before bedtime. Find yourself parched during this time frame? Take small sips of water rather than big swigs.
Alcohol
You probably conk out easily after enjoying a hard drink or two. But alcohol is pretty much guaranteed to sabotage your sleep. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep early in the night, says William Lu, MD, sleep medicine physician and medical director at Dreem Health. It triggers a rebound later, which is why people often wake up suddenly alert in the early morning hours.
The fix: Stop leaning on liquor, beer, or wine as a nightcap. This can be easier said than done for some, but it’ll benefit your sleep and overall well-being alike.
Caffeine
Regularly consume coffee, matcha, or energy drinks to power your days? Investigate your intake to see if it’s wrecking your nights. “Caffeine keeps us alert and delays the onset of sleep by blocking adenosine, a chemical that signals sleepiness,” says Dr. Lu. While this is helpful to muster the energy for a morning workout or fuel your 9-to-5, it’s less advantageous if the stimulant is still in your system by the time night falls.
The fix: Have a clear caffeine cutoff, ideally by noon to 2 p.m. The average half-life of caffeine is 5 hours (though it may range between 1.5 to 9.5 hours), so this should provide ample time for it to trickle out of your system. “Caffeine later in the day can overstimulate the bladder and should be avoided in the afternoon and evening,” adds Dr. Houman.
Eating too much too close to bedtime
According to Dr. Lu, big dinners could hinder your ability to stay asleep. “Eating big meals super late can also cause middle of the night wake-ups due to indigestion or acid reflux,” he says. Spicy meals are another culprit since they can trigger heartburn.
The fix: Many experts advise eating dinner at least three hours before bedtime. If you notice any of the symptoms shared above, it could help to scale down the size (and heat) of your meals, too. “Eating lighter, easily digestible meals in the evening and avoiding spicy or fatty foods can reduce reflux-related awakenings,” says Dr. Lu.
Stress
We all know that stress can keep you from falling asleep. But there’s a chance it’s also driving your 3 a.m. awakenings, too. Per Dr. Lu, stress makes us sleep lighter and more prone to disruptions. Research backs this up: Worry and rumination exploit sensitive sleep systems and trigger sleep reactivity (i.e., issues falling and staying asleep).
