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3 AM Wake-Up? Expert Reveals Sleep Secret
14 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Accepting nighttime awakenings is key to falling back asleep.
- Sleep occurs in 90-minute cycles with natural brief awakenings.
- Low body temperature and cortisol surges often cause 3 am wakefulness.
Many people experience frustrating middle-of-the-night awakenings, often around 3 am. A leading sleep expert, Dr. David Garley, advises that the key to falling back asleep is to accept that waking up is a normal occurrence. The pressure to fall back asleep is often the true obstacle.
Our bodies operate on a 90-minute sleep cycle, which naturally includes brief periods of wakefulness between stages like light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. These cycles are influenced by our circadian rhythm, a natural internal clock that responds to light and darkness.
Several factors can contribute to waking up during the night, including a natural drop in body temperature, surges in cortisol, reduced melatonin production with age, or even discomfort from aging-related conditions. If unable to return to sleep, experts recommend getting out of bed and engaging in a relaxing activity until sleepiness returns.
