One influencer has people with sleep problems intrigued after he revealed why they might be waking up at 3 a.m. every night, but not all sleep experts are convinced of his claim.
Dave Asprey, a longevity author, recently took to Instagram to claim that fluctuating blood sugar levels may be to blame for those 3 a.m. awakenings. Explaining that the drop in cortisol and adrenaline levels can jolt dreamers out of their sleep, Asprey said: "For most people who wake up between 3am and 5am and can't get back to sleep, it's usually due to a collapse in blood sugar'.
“The problem is that cortisol and adrenaline wake you up. While the brain gets what it wants, you don't get your sleep,” he added.
Recently, among health-conscious people, there has been an increased interest in cortisol, a hormone that regulates a wide range of processes in the body, including blood glucose levels. But could it also be the reason you're yawning on your morning commute?
Sleep expert Dave Gibson argues that while Asprey's advice is "factually correct", there are "more mechanisms at play" than just a rise in cortisol, which actually "should be starting to rise at this time as part of our natural wake cycle'.
Gibson, founder of The Sleep Site, said:
"The architecture of human sleep consists of different stages with unique functions. The deepest stages restore the body, while the lighter stages, including REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, help reboot the brain."
"These stages repeat in cycles of about 90 minutes, with an average of five cycles required for a full night's sleep." However, each cycle has a different composition; the first few cycles are rich in deep sleep, while the later cycles, especially after 3 a.m., include more of the lighter stages of sleep and REM sleep.
This means we are more likely to wake up to sounds, light or temperature changes later in the night. Also, as we age, we tend to sleep less deeply, so nighttime awakenings become more frequent," explained the expert.
According to Gibson, we've probably had a few hours of sleep by this point. This means we have less need for sleep, which reduces our 'sleep pressure' or drive to sleep.''This is why it can be so difficult to get back to sleep if you wake up at this early hour. Citing research on the topic, Gibson points to stress as a major factor that disrupts sleep, with technology use and alcohol also being common culprits.
With that in mind, the expert encourages people to "deal with stress before they get into the bedroom." This could include writing a to-do list and a relaxing evening routine - preferably with a soothing bath.
Similarly, Gibson also stresses the importance of learning to meditate, which he says will help improve the quality of your sleep. The expert warns that you shouldn't go to bed if you don't have to: "Never use your phone in bed, even with a night or blue light filter - it's the biggest sleep stealer." | BGNES
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