New analysis from The Wooden Bed Company reveals that UK searches for “why do I keep waking up at 3am” are 30% higher than the same period last year, highlighting just how common middle-of-the-night wake-ups have become. Sleep expert, Dr Deborah Lee, from Doctor Fox, says that this is an extremely common time to wake up, and also a very common problem she sees across clients. Dr Lee outlines five of the most common causes and what may help. Anxiety and an overactive mind “Stress and anxiety are among the biggest contributors to 3am wake-ups. Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, naturally begins to rise in the early hours of the morning as your body prepares to wake. However, if you’re feeling anxious or under prolonged stress, that rise can happen earlier or more sharply, making it difficult to fall back asleep and creating a cycle of broken rest. Create a consistent wind-down routine, reduce late night screen use and keep a notebook next to your bed to offload racing thoughts to help calm the nervous system.” A bedroom that isn’t set up for sleep “Your sleep environment plays a significant role not only in how quickly you fall asleep, but in how long you stay asleep. Bedrooms that are too bright, too warm, noisy, cluttered, or used as workspaces during the day can disrupt deeper sleep stages. Even subtle disturbances, such as a creaking bed frame, can cause micro-awakenings. Use neutral tones in the bedroom, and try…
