Why do you keep waking up in the middle of the night: Common causes and how to sleep better

Waking up in the middle of the night is not unusual. Most people wake up multiple times during the night without even realising it since they go back asleep so easily. Some awakenings last barely seconds. Some of the awakenings may be prolonged, and returning to sleep may be difficult and distressful. If you wake up at 3 a.m. or any other time and are unable to fall back asleep, there could be various reasons. These include shorter sleep cycles, stress, underlying health issues, and even environmental variables. Your awakenings may be infrequent and unimportant, but repeating them on a regular basis could indicate insomnia. Changing your sleep patterns, reducing stress, and consulting your doctor about things that may cause interrupted sleep can all help you avoid these unpleasant awak