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Getting uninterrupted sleep is crucial for feeling rested and energized yet many of us find ourselves waking up in the middle of the night. While foundational tips like avoiding caffeine late in the day, reducing blue light exposure, and taking melatonin are helpful, there's more to the story when it comes to achieving consistently restful sleep.
From under-eating and irregular circadian rhythms to stress and even light exposure in your bedroom, there are several factors that can contribute to those frustrating midnight wake-ups that leave you tossing and turning.
In this blog, we’ll dive deeper into some common causes of interrupted sleep and share practical strategies to help you stay asleep through the night- and the best part? We’ll touch on some quick fixes that can have you sleeping better… tonight.
Why do we wake up throughout the night?
What you do during the day and even how you wake up determines how well you sleep that night. For example, research shows looking at blue light first thing in the morning be it from a phone or a bright light bulb can disrupt the melatonin cycle causing poor sleep. In reality, there can be several reasons for interrupted sleep, some of the top contenders are:
- Undereating
- Irregular circadian rhythm
- Poor light environment
- Stress
- Going to sleep past 11pm
Let's take a closer look at a few of these!
Ensure You're Eating Enough During the DayInsomnia, particularly waking up and laying awake for long durations in the middle of the night, often stems from consuming too few calories throughout the day.
Sleep is a metabolically active state. The body is busy doing maintenance and repair of tissues, which requires a significant amount of energy. If your calorie intake is too low, these restorative processes are compromised, triggering a stress response that can jolt you awake.
While eating too close to bedtime can also cause those 3 a.m. wake-ups, having your last meal too far from bedtime can be just as disruptive. Intermittent fasting and strict diets are usually accompanied by poor sleep, showing the importance of nourishment for restful sleeps. If this sounds familiar, try increasing your calorie intake throughout the day and timing your last meal closer to bedtime—within 3 to 4 hours.
Pro tip: It’s not ideal to eat in the middle of the night, but if you find yourself waking up due to hunger after a low-calorie day, a quick snack can help you fall back asleep. Just don’t let it become a habit, as this can have long-term negative effects!
Stick to regular sleep and wake times
One of the most effective ways to train your body for better sleep is by sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, meaning waking up and going to sleep at the same time everyday- even on weekends.
This helps regulate your internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm signals to your mind and body when it’s time to sleep and wake up. Re-establishing this innate process helps the brain differentiate between sleeping and waking hours.
Once your circadian rhythm is in sync, waking up during the night becomes less frequent. And when it does happen, your brain is more likely to stay in those slower, restful brainwave states, making it easier to fall back asleep quickly.
Minimize light exposure at night
Waking up in the middle of the night can often be prevented, but sometimes it just happens. One common culprit is light. Whether it’s the glow from chargers, nightlights, digital clocks or light seeping in through your windows, light signals to the body that it’s time to start your day.
Light can trigger the body to wake up, but more importantly, when you wake up and your eyes detect light, it signals the body to increase cortisol production—the hormone that gets us out of bed. This makes it significantly harder to fall back asleep.
Action step: Take stock of any light sources in your room and reduce or eliminate them to create a darker, more sleep-friendly environment.
Need a Quick Fix? Try a Sleep Supplement
Optimizing sleep hygiene to get naturally restorative, restful sleep is ideal. But the truth is, establishing routines can take time, and they are not always linear. Nature has provided us with ample nutrients and herbs that can promote healthy sleep- and allow us to get the benefits of uninterrupted sleep even when our biology or environment on their own may not support this.
When it comes to supplements for sleep- there are two classes. One that helps us to fall asleep faster, with the classic example being melatonin and the other which helps us to stop waking up. Take a look below to learn about three supplements that can help keep you asleep!
Valerian, often called "nature’s Valium," has been used for centuries to promote restful sleep. By inhibiting the breakdown of GABA and supporting sleep regulation, it helps improve both the quality and duration of sleep. Its primary use is in reducing night time wake-ups.
Our favorite valerian tincture, ValeriCalm by St. Francis, features valerian as the star ingredient, with five other synergistic herbs, creating a powerful blend designed to help you stay asleep all night long.
Best for: those who continually wake up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason
Orthosleep is a premium sleep and relaxation formula containing a blend of nutrients and herbs that help to re-establish a healthy circadian rhythm. Orthosleep works to increase total sleep time, improve sleep quality and promotes uninterrupted sleep. It contains melatonin to help decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.
Best for: Those who have trouble falling and staying asleep
Staying asleep through the night is just as important as falling asleep in the first place. While there are many reasons for waking up during the night—such as stress, light exposure, or even not eating enough—small adjustments to your daily routine can make a big difference. By addressing the underlying causes, like maintaining a regular sleep schedule, creating a darker sleep environment, and supporting your body with the right nutrition and supplements, you can improve the quality of your sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
Author: Lisa kowalyk, CNP, B.Kin
