Among the most common sleep disorders is that of those who have no trouble falling asleep at bedtime, but who wake up after a few hours and are unable to fall back asleep.
In these cases, the recurring question from those affected is: why do I wake up and can no longer sleep? The answer is not unique: the issue is more complex than it seems, and to understand why this happens, it is first necessary to understand some basic notions about the sleep cycle.
Why can't I sleep at night if I wake up
Let's learn some facts about wakefulness and sleep:
The sleep cycle
In general, adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night for the body to rest and the brain to reprogram. These hours of sleep are distributed across the following five periods:
- Period 1: gradual drowsiness and transition from wakefulness to light sleep (lasts between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on each person and how long the wakefulness period has been).
- Period 2: light sleep (lasts approximately half of the total sleep time).
- Period 3: transition from light sleep to deep sleep period (lasts only about 3 minutes).
- Period 4: Delta deep sleep (lasts approximately one quarter of the total sleep time).
- Period 5: REM deep sleep (this is the period in which dreams occur).
The peculiarity of the sleep cycle is that it is not a unique cycle nor linear: we go through all these periods several times throughout the night. That is to say, the times indicated for each cycle are not covered consecutively and successively, but rather are the sum of all the times we go through them while we sleep.
Of all of them, the period that interests us most in understanding why we wake up is the REM sleep period, characterized by the fact that it is the cycle in which, although we are resting deeply, our eyes move rapidly and we have dreams.
Yes, it is precisely during REM sleep that it is easiest for us to wake up. That is why it is very common that, as soon as we wake up, we vividly remember the dreams we have had.
The truth is that the vast majority of people wake up at least once or twice during the night and fall back asleep almost immediately. Others wake up up to four or five times, with no problem falling back asleep quickly.
All of this does not cause them any disorder and is completely normal. But what is not normal is that, after one of those nighttime awakenings, we cannot fall back asleep no matter how hard we try.
Are you one of those who wonders why I can't sleep if I wake up at night? "I wake up and I can't fall back asleep." Then, keep reading to learn what the causes are:
Physical causes that prevent continuing to sleep after waking up at night
The symptoms of some organic conditions tend to worsen or manifest more strongly at night.
Some exacerbations of symptoms are related to the horizontal position adopted during rest, while others depend on organic cycles and the circadian rhythm.
These are the physical problems that contribute to our inability to fall asleep:
- Pains or discomfort, usually caused by osteoarthritis, arthritis, and problems with the spine and back.
- Respiratory issues, such as asthma, bronchitis, sleep apnea, COPD, and seasonal colds.
- Digestive system disorders, especially gastroesophageal reflux and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Hormonal activity: women often wake up at night when hormone levels change during menstruation or menopause.
- Brain and nerve diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
- Some heart diseases
- Polyuria (the need to urinate frequently or urgently)
Additionally, many of the medications used to treat some of the aforementioned disorders can affect sleep.
The medications most harmful to sleep quality are beta-blockers, antidepressants, medications for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), decongestants, and respiratory treatments with steroids.
Therefore, if we have any health issues that often interrupt our sleep, we should discuss it with the doctor. It may be that, to sleep better, we need some additional medication or that, on the contrary, we should do without one or replace it with another.
Psychological causes
Without downplaying physical disorders, experts agree that the prevalence of psychological causes in sleep disorders is much higher.
In fact, the profile of a person who asks, “why can’t I sleep at night after waking up” is one of the following:
- An individual subjected to high levels of stress: stress causes sleep to be lighter and makes it difficult to enter deep Delta sleep and REM sleep.
- A patient with anxiety disorder has the same effects on sleep as stress.
- A bipolar patient.
- A depressed person.
- Other mental health patients, such as those with schizophrenia.
An additional fact is that most healthy people who wake up at night and are unable to fall back asleep suffer from anxiety or experience daily stress.
Environmental factors that influence sleep quality
But environmental factors also significantly influence the ease of falling asleep, whether initially or after a nighttime awakening.
These are the main environmental causes that prevent you from enjoying restorative nighttime rest:
- Irregular schedules: frequently changing your bedtime and wake-up time makes it difficult to maintain your internal circadian clock.
- Bright electronic devices: the blue light from your phone and computer keeps the brain alert and awake.
- Excessive alcohol: drinks before bed may help you fall asleep quickly, but you will wake up during the night once the effect wears off. Moreover, alcohol makes it difficult to reach deep Delta and REM sleep stages.
- Caffeine: it is a stimulant whose effects can last more than 6 hours.
- Tobacco: nicotine is another powerful stimulant that causes light and lower quality sleep. Additionally, heavy smokers may wake up and not be able to fall back asleep due to nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
- Temperature: excessive cold and heat are two common causes of sleep interruptions.
- Noise: while some people sleep soundly regardless of noise, others wake up at the slightest sound, like the flight of a fly.
- The mattress: old, non-breathable, excessively soft, or unsuitable mattresses for the sleeper's physical condition are a real burden for nighttime rest.
How to avoid waking up in the middle of the night
If you manage to avoid waking up at night, you won't have to struggle to fall back asleep. To do this, we suggest that:
1. Don't consume tobacco, alcohol, or caffeine before sleeping
Of these three things, be especially careful with caffeine and avoid consuming drinks that contain it in the afternoons.
2. Adjust your internal clock
If you don't work shifts, try to maintain the same sleep schedule consistently.
3. Exercise regularly
It has been proven that evening exercise helps to fall asleep better. But don't do it right before bed, as the immediate effect is the opposite.
4. Don't take a nap
If you have trouble sleeping at night, skip the evening nap.
5. Follow a relaxing bedtime routine.
A moderately warm bath, listening to relaxing music, or reading a book are the most advisable activities to relax before sleeping.
6. Avoid electronic screens
Don't browse the internet, chat on your mobile, or watch TV before going to bed. Let at least an hour pass.
7. Turn off your mobile phone
Don't silence it: turn it off directly. If you keep it on, you'll be tempted to check if you've received new messages.
Unless you have a specific reason to leave it on, any nighttime message can wait until the next morning to be read.
8. Use an appropriate mattress
The mattress can be the deciding factor in avoiding sleep interruptions: a good mattress influences postural suitability and significantly helps eliminate discomfort and pain caused by physical disorders.
Additionally, a quality mattress, like one with pocket springs, will make you feel comfortable and regulate body perspiration, preventing excess heat and humidity during your nighttime rest.
After reading the previous lines, we assume you are already clear on the possible answers to this question: why do I wake up and can no longer sleep? So if you think your old mattress might have something to do with your difficulty in falling back asleep, we recommend our online store https://muellesensacados.es/, if your problem is the mattress, then it has an easy solution.