Did you know a lot of people’s sleep cycle shifts as they age, leading them to get up more often in the middle of the night?
And that’s without considering the fact that older people need to get up to pee more often, too.
While some experts think we have mini-wakeups up to 20 times a night without noticing, though, your 3 am rise starts to become a problem when you can’t get back to sleep afterwards.
In fact The Sleep Foundation has put a number on how long is too long to stare at your bedroom’s darkened ceiling, willing yourself to return to sleep.
How long is too long to stay up after a 3 am wakeup?
The Sleep Foundation says that while you might sleep a lot, your sleep quality ― how restful and rejuvenating your slumber really is ― might not be up to par.
That can lead you to feel unfocused and moody throughout the day and has even been associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk.
But sleep duration has the advantage of being measurable by looking at the clock ― to tell where your sleep quality is at, the publication says you should look at signs like how long it takes you to get back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night.
They say anything longer than 20 minutes might point to poor sleep quality.
Other signs include feeling stressed and exhausted in the daytime, regularly waking up more than once a night, feeling hungry and craving junk food, and noticing more skin breakouts.
What can I do to get back to sleep after waking up at 3 am?
Paradoxically, fretting about getting back to sleep may keep you up longer.
We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how experts recommend getting out of bed after 20 minutes of lying awake in the middle of the night.
Avoid screens, and steer clear of clocks ― worrying about the time won’t help.
Instead, try something soothing, like reading in another room. You can even try doing some chores, though try to make sure they’re not too stimulating.
The NHS says you might be able to improve your sleep quality through lifestyle factors like keeping a strict routine, eating well and exercising in the daytime, and getting your sleep environment right.
They add you should see your GP if:
- changing your sleeping habits has not helped your insomnia
- you’ve had trouble sleeping for months
- your insomnia is affecting your daily life in a way that makes it hard for you to cope.