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Working right up until bedtime can keep the brain in a "working" state, even when the body is already in bed. Photo: cottonbro studio/Pexels. |
Some people go to bed at 11 PM but almost every night they wake up around 3 AM. After drinking water, going to the bathroom, and returning to bed, falling asleep is no longer as easy as before. The more they think about how tired they will be the next day, the more alert their minds become.
If it only happens once or twice, it's not a cause for concern. But when it happens frequently, many people start to think their bodies have developed a special "clock," waking up at 3 a.m. every day.
In fact, 3 a.m. isn't a particularly dangerous time for insomnia. Waking up a few times during a night is normal and most of us don't remember it. What's noteworthy is the difficulty falling back asleep after waking up if this happens repeatedly, according to Khan .
The U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) states that frequently waking up in the middle of the night or waking up too early and being unable to fall back asleep is one of the typical symptoms of insomnia.
Don't be too quick to blame cortisol.
Nicola Appleton, sleep editor for Tom's Guide, sought the help of Dr. Aric Prather, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), due to frequently waking up at 3 a.m.
What Prather noticed wasn't the bed, the darkness of the bedroom, or the pillow, but the habit of working late into the night.
According to him, frequently working overtime can affect sleep. Writing emails, meeting deadlines, and finishing up unfinished tasks before bed can keep the brain in a "working" state, even after the body has lain down in bed.
"Even after closing the laptop, the mind can still continue to process work-related thoughts," Prather explained.
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A night of repeatedly waking up can leave you feeling tired, sleepy, and unable to concentrate the next day. Photo: cottonbro studio/Pexels. |
That's why the moment you lie down in bed doesn't necessarily mean the workday is actually over.
A person might reply to work messages, check emails, schedule the next day, then turn off their computer at 10:55 PM and go to bed at 11:00 PM. But psychologically, unfinished tasks can still continue to pop into their head.
In * The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It*, neurologist and sleep medicine expert W. Chris Winter argues that instead of viewing sleep as simply a state of "trying to fall asleep," you need to examine the elements in your daily routine that are either supporting or hindering sleep.
This also explains why some people easily fall into a cycle of working late, sleeping poorly, waking up, then starting to worry about not getting enough sleep, their brains becoming more alert and making it even harder to fall asleep again.
A common explanation given is: "Waking up at 3 am because of elevated cortisol."
Cortisol is actually a hormone with a fluctuating rhythm throughout the day and typically increases in the morning, contributing to the body's transition to a state of alertness. According to Khan , employees who check emails after work have poorer sleep quality; the group working close to bedtime also has a larger cortisol response upon waking.
However, Prather notes that a large morning cortisol response alone is not enough to conclude that a person is getting poor sleep.
Let your brain take a break from work.
Prather's solution is relatively simple: separate the 60-120 minutes before bedtime from work.
He calls this a "digital buffer," in which the time before bed is dedicated to activities that help the mind transition from a working state to a resting state.
It's not necessary to follow a rigid list. Reading a book, watching a relaxing show, taking a warm bath, stretching, or meditating can all be suitable.
The important thing isn't choosing the exact activity, but rather feeling relaxed afterward.
For example, if you usually go to bed at 11 PM, you could set 9 PM as the time to finish work emails and messages. Then, close your computer, dim the lights in the room, read a few pages of a book, or do some light stretching exercises. Unfinished tasks can be left for the next day.
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You shouldn't look at your phone or check your email after being startled at 3 a.m. Photo: Khanh Vu/Pexels. |
In her book, The Sleep Revolution , Arianna Huffington also raises the issue that modern society often views sleep as "wasted" time, while work, technology, and constant connectivity make it difficult for people to truly break free from the daily grind.
For those who typically wake up in the middle of the night, a small change might be to avoid turning that waking moment into the start of a new workday. Don't immediately open your phone to check emails. Nor is it necessary to constantly check the clock and calculate how many hours are left until you get up.
Waking up for a few minutes in the middle of the night can still be part of the normal sleep cycle. What matters is the frequency, duration of wakefulness, and its impact on the following day.
According to NHLBI, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep occurring at least three nights a week and lasting for three months or more may meet the criteria for chronic insomnia. If excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, or sleep problems begin to significantly affect daily life, patients should seek medical attention.
In particular, if accompanied by loud snoring, a feeling of suffocation or cessation of breathing during sleep, and pronounced daytime sleepiness, don't just attribute everything to your evening work routine. These could be signs of other sleep disorders, including sleep apnea.