Over 65 and waking at 3 a.m.? Long daytime naps may be the cause.

Experts interviewed for Sleep Awareness Week 2026 say adults over 65 commonly wake around 3 a.m., and they report that long daytime naps are linked with more nighttime awakenings while brief naps and morning daylight are associated with more consolidated sleep.

Many adults aged 65 and older report waking around 3 a.m. Sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented after about age 60–65, and that change is associated with more frequent nighttime awakenings. For Sleep Awareness Week 2026, board‑certified sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu and other experts discussed common causes and habits linked with these early morning wakeups. One habit highlighted by the experts is long daytime napping, which they described as associated with increased night wakings. What is known: - Sleep generally becomes lighter and more fragmented after age 60–65, with less slow wave (deep) sleep, according to experts. - Experts report that long daytime naps are linked with a higher chance of waking at 3 a.m., while naps kept to about 30–45 minutes are cited as less likely to disrupt night sleep. - Early morning exposure to natural daylight is described as a factor that reinforces the circadian rhythm and the sleep–wake schedule. - Nocturia (nighttime urination) is named as a common reason older adults wake during the night. - A pharmacist interviewed cited clinical links between supplements such as magnesium, vitamin D and folate and some measures of sleep in trials. - Experts say that frequent nighttime awakenings combined with persistent daytime sleepiness, loud snoring or high blood pressure are signals that deserve clinical assessment. Summary: Experts in the article note that long daytime naps are commonly linked with 3 a.m. awakenings in people over 65 and that brief naps and morning daylight exposure are among the measures they describe as supporting more consolidated nighttime sleep. Whether these reported changes reduce night awakenings for any individual is undetermined at this time.