3 am wake-ups: experts say checking the clock may prolong awakenings

Experts say checking the time or using phones during a 3 a.m. awakening can increase anxiety and make it harder to fall back asleep; brief night awakenings are common.

Many people report waking in the early hours, and this article examines what experts say can make those awakenings last. The author describes personal experience with 3 a.m. wake-ups and consulted two sleep specialists for explanations and approaches. The discussion covers how timing of sleep and evening habits can shift the body clock and influence awakenings. The piece also notes that brief night awakenings are a normal part of sleep cycles. What experts reported: - Over a third of Americans report frequent nocturnal awakenings, and brief awakenings can be a normal part of 90-minute sleep cycles. - Specialists reported that checking the clock or using a phone after waking can increase worry about sleep and make it harder to return to sleep. - Going to bed very early can shift the circadian rhythm earlier, so a person may have already met much of their sleep need and wake around 3 a.m. - Experts also linked late meals, alcohol close to bedtime, and bedroom conditions (light, temperature, noise) to more frequent or prolonged awakenings. Summary: Experts describe how attention to time and certain evening habits can prolong early-morning awakenings and note that brief awakenings themselves are common. Undetermined at this time.