If you’re constantly finding yourself awake during the dreaded 3am ‘witching hour’, it’s likely you’re feeling both frustrated and exhausted.
However, there are several potential causes for this issue, as well as a number of solutions.
One simple solution could be altering your pre-bedtime meals.
According to experts at MattressNextDay, spicy food can negatively impact your sleep due to its capsaicin content (the chemical that gives spice its heat).
This capsaicin can increase your internal body temperature, thus disrupting your sleep.
But don’t worry, you don’t have to give up your favourite curry – just try to avoid spicy food at least three hours before you plan to go to bed.
However, it’s also important not to go to bed hungry, as this can result in low blood sugar levels.
When your body is hungry, cortisol levels can rise, causing your body to wake you up to eat.
So, if you find yourself in this situation, opt for lighter foods like apples and peanut butter that won’t leave you struggling to digest them throughout the night, reports Leicestershire Live.
But it’s not just your diet that can affect your sleep quality. Your daytime habits can also play a significant role.
For instance, you should try to avoid afternoon naps.
While it can be tempting to catch some shut-eye during the 3pm slump, this can actually exacerbate your sleep problems come nighttime.
Napping too late in the day can lead to entering a deep sleep cycle, which if interrupted before naturally concluding, can leave you feeling worse than before your nap. If you can’t resist a nap, consider setting an alarm for no more than 20 minutes.
This will prevent you from entering a sleep cycle and allow you to wake up without the groggy disoriented feeling that comes with a long nap.
If you find yourself lying awake as time passes, resist the urge to stay in bed and keep trying. This is because you could start associating your bed with stress rather than rest if you are constantly lying awake.
Instead, get up, move around or go to a different room and engage in something that helps you relax.
This could be as simple as reading a book – but try to avoid using your phone, which could end up making you feel more awake.