It's not easy to get a good night's sleep. Around 2 p.m., digestive fatigue sets in, driving us to sleep like crazy, and it can be very tempting to take a quick nap at work, after your lunch break. And yet, once you've gone to bed, you wake up in the middle of the night. What a pain. Well, science might have an explanation. Here is everything you need to know!
Discover our latest podcast
Night-time awakening or insomnia?
It's hard to understand. In fact, according to a survey by the Institut national du sommeil et de la vigilance published in 2016, it is estimated that around two thirds of the population wake up during the night.
73% of people report waking up at least once a night. These interruptions last from 10 minutes (awakenings considered normal by doctors) to 30 minutes or more (and are then qualified as insomnia).
And yet, despite this colossal number of people claiming to suffer from this form of episodic insomnia, only 20% of insomniacs consult a doctor for this reason. Sleep specialist Dr. Royant-Parol, quoted in an article in 20 minutes, argues that we need to do more to help insomniacs.
We need to prevent sleep disorders from becoming chronic.
Read more:Hypnic jerk: Why you feel like you are falling in your sleep
Waking up a few minutes before your alarm clock
That being said, waking up early isn't necessarily a bad thing. If it happens a few minutes before the scheduled time, it just means that your sleep cycle is aligned with your alarm clock, which is actually a good thing. Vishesh K. Kapur, founder and director of the UW Medicine Sleep Center, explains why it is not a problem to wake up a few moments before your alarm goes off.
You may wake up earlier because you've satisfied your need for sleep.
However, if you're waking up in the middle of the night, it's best to seek help while you're still young. Indeed, as you get older, these problems tend to get worse. Here are a few possible causes that can be linked to this form of insomnia, and we'll explain them all to you.
Read more:Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: The sleep disorder keeping you up at night
The possible causes of nocturnal awakening
There are many causes of nocturnal awakening. These include snoring, breathing problems, increased fatigue, sleep apnea and so on. All breathing-related problems can affect your sleep. Your brain will suddenly wake you up so that you can remedy the lack of oxygen.
Alcohol consumption is also linked to waking up at night. While the sedative effect of alcohol will put you to sleep in the first few hours, it will disrupt the rest of your sleep afterwards.
Other factors can also play a role, such as the surrounding light or the quality of your bedding. Time differences can also affect your sleep.
Read more:Could sleeping in separate beds strengthen your relationship? Experts think so
This article has been translated from Gentside FR.
Sources used:
20 minutes: Réveils nocturnes : Comment s’en débarrasser et retrouver un sommeil de qualité
Geo: Le sommeil des Français en 12 chiffres clés
