As long as you are easily able to go back to sleep and you don't feel any impact the next day, these short night-time awakenings are normal and healthy. The problem is when you're unable to go back to sleep easily or at all, and you feel unrested as a result.
Sleep disorders
According to the CDC14, the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, and sleep apnea. All of these disorders can cause waking up in the middle of the night, but it is one of the characteristics of insomnia, in particular.
Waking up almost exactly every two hours is a surprisingly common experience and can be caused by a variety of factors. The first, and most obvious, is that it could be due to a sleep disorder like sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, which could be causing your body to wake up as it attempts to regulate itself.
Obstructive sleep apnea, periodic limb movements (leg jerks), iron deficiency, hyperthyroidism, gastroesophageal reflux, pain, allergies, asthma, hormonal changes, anxiety, depression and certain medications are some of the main contributors to fragmented sleep.
Napping too much.
Long naps in the afternoon or later make it harder to stay asleep at night. Consuming too much caffeine.Caffeine (in coffee, tea, and sodas) blocks a brain chemical called adenosine that helps you sleep. Go light on caffeine-containing foods and drinks beyond the early afternoon.
If you have depression , daily stresses—such as financial worries, an argument with your spouse, or a jam-packed evening commute—could also lead to more nighttime wake-ups and more trouble getting back to sleep than someone without depression would experience.
Sleep deprivation often occurs with sleeping disorders. If you cannot sleep for more than four to five hours per night (or less), you may have sleep deprivation. In addition, regular sleep interruptions from things like night terrors or "sleep starts" can also lead to sleep deprivation.
Go to sleep at the same time each night, and get up at the same time each morning, even on the weekends. Don't take naps after 3 p.m, and don't nap longer than 20 minutes. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol late in the day. Avoid nicotine completely.
It's readily available, and it's supposed to help you sleep . . . right? Sleep deprivation can make this logic seem sound, but experts say taking melatonin in the middle of the night can actually make your sleep schedule even worse.
In some cases, insomnia is caused by a medical condition such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome or chronic pain, or by a mental health disorder such as depression. Treatment for one of these underlying conditions may be necessary for insomnia to get better.
One study. View Source of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep fast, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
True sleep regressions are different from a few rough nights of sleep. In fact, they can last between 2 and 6 weeks. Not every baby deals with noticeable sleep regressions, and for babies that are tricky sleepers, you might not notice a difference at all!
One of the common causes of disrupted sleep is lifestyle, including any of the following habits: Drinking alcohol within four hours of bedtime. A nightcap may help you fall asleep, but it also can interrupt sleep later in the night, and can also cause more trips to the bathroom. Eating within a few hours of bedtime.
If you have depression , daily stresses—such as financial worries, an argument with your spouse, or a jam-packed evening commute—could also lead to more nighttime wake-ups and more trouble getting back to sleep than someone without depression would experience.
Sometimes, our minds can keep us awake more than any outside distractions. A particularly stressful day can lead to intrusive thoughts in the middle of the night — maybe they come in the form of a nightmare that jolts you up at 3 a.m. In more serious cases, some people even experience sleep paralysis.
Core body temperature starts to rise, sleep drive is reducing (because we've had a chunk of sleep), secretion of melatonin (the sleep hormone) has peaked, and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) are increasing as the body prepares to launch us into the day.