Why Can’t I Fall Back Asleep?

Everyone knows the frustration of waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to fall back asleep. This middle-of-the-night wakefulness is a universal experience, no matter what your natural sleep patterns look like.

Let’s explore the science behind midnight wakefulness, explore common causes, and examine ways you can improve the quality of your nighttime sleep.

How Well Do You Know Your Sleep Cycle?

Waking up at night is sometimes an isolated event. Indigestion, background noise, or the movements of a sleep partner can interrupt what would have been a restful night’s sleep. However, frequent nighttime wakefulness will interrupt your sleep cycle — rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep that plays a vital role in your physical and mental health.

When we wake up in the middle of the night, our body's circadian rhythm is disrupted. This internal clock regulates your sleep-wake cycle. During a typical night’s sleep, you’ll alternate between REM and non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep is further divided into three categories:

1. Stage 1: a transitional state between wakefulness and sleep.
2. Stage 2: light sleep that prepares your body for deeper sleep.
3. Stage 3: slow-wave sleep where your body repairs tissues and boosts immune functionality.

Between these non-REM stages is REM sleep, when your brain is so active it resembles wakefulness. Here’s what happens during REM sleep:

• Muscle paralysis: During REM sleep, your brain sends signals to inhibit voluntary muscle activity. This is known as "muscle atonia" and prevents you from physically acting out your dreams.
• Emotional regulation: REM sleep is believed to play a role in emotional regulation and processing. Dreams experienced during this stage may help you process and make sense of emotional experiences from your waking life.
• Memory consolidation: REM sleep is crucial for memory consolidation, especially for procedural and emotional memories. It helps you integrate and store information acquired throughout the day, making it easier to recall and learn from these experiences in the future.
• Heart rate and blood pressure changes: Your heart rate and blood pressure can increase during REM sleep, which is why this stage is sometimes associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing vivid dreams.

These sleep cycles typically last around 90 minutes, and throughout the night, you cycle through them multiple times. Each cycle has varying proportions of non-REM and REM sleep. It's during these cycles that waking up becomes a common occurrence. Your body's internal clock, often referred to as the circadian rhythm, helps dictate when these awakenings might happen.

Why Am I Waking Up at Night?

There are many reasons why you might wake up at night, from your demeanor to the quality of your sleep environment. Here are a few potential causes behind your nighttime wake episodes:

• Stress or anxiety: One of the most common reasons for nighttime awakenings is stress and anxiety. Worries and racing thoughts can disrupt your sleep, making it difficult to return to slumber once you wake up.
• Poor sleep environment: An uncomfortable mattress, excessive noise, and improper room temperature can lead to frequent awakenings. For best results, preserve your bedroom environment for sleep and intimacy only.
• Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, acid reflux, or chronic pain, can cause you to wake up during the night and make it tough to go back to sleep.
• Medication: Some medications for sleep disorders, plus stimulants and decongestants, can interfere with your sleep and cause nighttime awakenings.

You might also wake up at night simply as a result of natural aging.  As we age, our sleep patterns change. Older adults often experience more frequent awakenings during the night.

What Can I Do about Frequent Wake Episodes?

Frequent wake episodes during the night can be an exasperating challenge for many people. Whether it's due to stress, discomfort, or other factors, these interruptions can disrupt the quality of your sleep and leave you feeling tired and frustrated the next day.

Here’s the good news: there are several strategies and lifestyle changes you can implement to address this issue and enjoy more restful nights.

Here are a few of those practical solutions:

• Establish a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
• Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing. This signals to your body that it's time to wind down.
• Optimize your sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows to enhance your overall sleep comfort.
• Limit screen time: Avoid screens like smartphones, computers, and TVs at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted from screens can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle.
• Manage stress: Incorporate stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine. This may include mindfulness meditation, yoga, or journaling to help alleviate anxiety and calm your mind.
• Watch your diet: Avoid heavy or spicy meals close to bedtime, as they can contribute to acid reflux and disrupt your sleep. Also, limit caffeine and alcohol intake in the hours leading up to bedtime.
• Stay active: Regular exercise can improve sleep quality. However, try to avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime, as they can be stimulating.
• Limit fluid intake before bed: Minimize your consumption of liquids, especially alcohol and caffeine, in the evening to reduce the chances of waking up for bathroom trips.
• Manage medical conditions: If you suspect that a medical condition is causing your frequent wake episodes, consult with a healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment options.
• Practice patience: If you do wake up during the night, avoid clock-watching and stressing over lost sleep. Instead, try relaxation techniques and focus on restful thoughts to ease your return to slumber.

Remember that improving your sleep often requires patience and consistency. Experiment with these strategies to find what works best for you — and don't hesitate to seek professional guidance if persistent sleep disruptions persist.

Here's another easy way to minimize nighttime disruptions: use a mattress that protects your sleep. In the same way that a quality mattress can improve the quality of your sleep, a poor-quality mattress can make nighttime wake episodes even more frequent.

At Mattress Warehouse, we’ve got something to say about a great night's sleep. That’s why we developed bedMATCH, our patented diagnostic program that identifies the best mattress options for people like you. Visit your local Mattress Warehouse to try bedMATCH for yourself, or take the five-minute bedMATCH quiz to browse mattress options at all price points right now.