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Why do I wake up at 3am?

94 Answers
Last Updated: 08/04/2020 at 4:22pm
Why do I wake up at 3am?
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Top Rated Answers
Profile: AliceGentleSpring
AliceGentleSpring
September 18th, 2015 10:45am
You wake up at 3am because of sleep imbalance...you should see a doctor about that. Your doctor might give you medication so you can sleep throughout the whole night or recommend you go see a sleep clinic.
Profile: diligentTangerine83
diligentTangerine83
October 24th, 2015 3:43pm
I find that when I'm waking up in the middle of the night or even when I have trouble sleeping it's because something is bothering me and I haven't given myself time to work it out. When that happens the most helpful thing for me has been to write it down. Write down what I'm thinking and feeling. Usually that helps me have a better nights sleep.
Anonymous
October 22nd, 2015 7:43pm
I wake up at 3am when I drink too much caffeine late in the day or do cardio in the evening. Other times I'm awake at 3am is when I'm feeling anxious about my relationships or deadlines and money issues.
Profile: Abilouise
Abilouise
October 22nd, 2015 9:40am
I wake up at 3 am normally if I have to much on my mind, So I don't get to settle into a deep sleep.
Profile: HelpfulGuidance
HelpfulGuidance
October 22nd, 2015 1:20am
I wake up at three am because of stress. This is especially hard when I am nervous and my stomach starts to ache.
Profile: TristanJamez
TristanJamez
October 21st, 2015 9:48pm
Based on my personal experience, if I consistently wake up at 3am every single night, I would think it's because of stress. Sometimes when we have a lot on our mind, we don't get enough sleep, and sometimes wake up multiple times throughout the night. If you find it's being VERY constant, you might want to visit your family doctor!!
Profile: emikee
emikee
September 26th, 2015 6:39am
You could possibly have a sleeping disorder. They're pretty common, and it's nothing to be worried about. Try talking to your local doctor about your sleeping issues. Or, you could try an "Over-the-Counter" medication called, "Melatonin." Although, I would defiantly ask your doctor before trying this.
Anonymous
August 23rd, 2015 11:26pm
You might have jet lagt after a trip. Or you might have slept too much in the daytime. Or you are thinking of things and your subconscious wakes you up.
Profile: AmazingEars15
AmazingEars15
September 19th, 2015 1:37pm
Maybe you have to go to bathroom or you are scared of waking up too late, your sleep might be stressed.
Profile: mysteriousPeace21
mysteriousPeace21
October 25th, 2015 12:08pm
It could be alot of different things. You may have sleeping problems that you need to see a GP about or it could be simple things like the environment your in, the noise around you, how you sleep, the temperature and many other things.
Anonymous
September 17th, 2015 11:09am
Why do I wake up at 3am every morning? It's a question I ask myself a lot. Probably because I'm stressed or anxious or mad about something that happened that day, and it keeps me awake. Find out what's stressing you out, and try and fix it. This will help stop you from waking up at 3am. :)
Profile: Aleetsgo
Aleetsgo
September 16th, 2015 5:57pm
The sleep can be affected for many reasons, like stress, a bad diet, bad habits, and more. "There are the individuals whose cortisol levels are out of rhythm with their internal body clock."
Profile: gloriousMelody16
gloriousMelody16
September 16th, 2015 12:05am
i wake up at 3am because the thoughts of becoming a failure and letting my loved one down huants my memory. being able to have a good night rest is something i yearn for because i have allowd life to get the best of me . i have now tried mediatation and prayer to help me through because i can only allow what gets the best of me and learning how to block it has been a great deal of help. self motivation is the key always stay up never down.
Anonymous
September 13th, 2015 6:37am
Unresolved subconscious issues scratching at your mind, nightmares, all sorts of things. The best way to handle this is to react calmly and realize where you are.
Profile: Supergirl94
Supergirl94
September 10th, 2015 6:24am
It could be from a dream you were having, from drinking to much before bed or eating right before bed. Could be because of any noise going on in your house, your body temperature (if your cold or hot), adjusting how you lay. Anything can trigger you to wake up. Which personally annoys me when I am trying to get a good sleep and wake up randomly late in the night.
Profile: shoshho
shoshho
September 6th, 2015 2:49pm
i wake up at 3 am probably from sleeping to early or from school stress and then i go to school not feeling too well
Anonymous
September 6th, 2015 4:42am
Disruption to sleep cycles is a common cause, often caused by stress or other emotional/neurological issues that disrupt REM sleep.
Profile: Marin9rose
Marin9rose
October 29th, 2015 8:35pm
Yes that happens me too.. I wake briefly after having rested from about 10 or 11 pm.. Can't say I know the reason except maybe the body is a bit bored of sleeping?
Profile: heavenslightning
heavenslightning
November 6th, 2015 5:28am
There can be many reasons but ill answer with my personal experience. Leaving the television on and drinking lots of water does not help. Cheers :) I would consult a doctor if the problem persists.
Anonymous
November 6th, 2015 3:39am
I'm not sure. Do you live in a house or an apartment? Is there a train that passes by, or a neighbor who leaves for work at that time? Does anything in your home turn on or off at 3 am? Does your bedtime change or remain consistent? Have you tried experimenting with a different bedtime? For example, if you go to bed at 12 and wake up at 3, and you start going to bed at 1, will that cause you to wake up at 4? Or would you still wake up at 3 am? if you can, try to collect data on yourself, keep a journal to see if your body/mind is waking up after a certain number of hours, or if it's specifically at a certain time. If it's the same clock-time every night then there might be something in your external environment that is waking you up. If you tend to wake up after only sleeping a certain number of hours, then it could be something internal (stress, biological, circadian rhythm, hormonal, breathing, etc).
Profile: SparkySparkz
SparkySparkz
November 5th, 2015 11:36pm
A quiet morning time when no-one else around is pretty awesome! It can be calming sometimes being the only one awake, it's nice to have a little "me" time in the peace and tranquillity of your own company sometimes ^_^
Anonymous
November 5th, 2015 12:16am
It might be for different reasons, related to either physical or mental health. Maybe you've been dealing with a lot of stress or anxiety? In that case, try Mood Boosts here on 7 cups - personally I have found them really helpful!
Profile: friendlyWaterfall77
friendlyWaterfall77
November 4th, 2015 7:09am
the time depends on when you took your last drink, how much you drank, your metabolic rate, and other factors, but the basic idea is that the Alcohol wears off and your sleep is disputed.
Profile: TheRelaxingLewy
TheRelaxingLewy
November 4th, 2015 3:54am
I started waking up so that I could start going to the gym, to help improve my physical body and boost my own self esteem. I've found that over time this new me has spread into others and generating positive energy in them. I'm a firm believer that your physical body and mental are connected and they bounce off each other in healthiness and attitude towards life and people.
Profile: slowTime
slowTime
October 31st, 2015 1:06am
For many people it is because that's the time when adrenal glands levels can be high enough and wake you up as if it is a new day.
Anonymous
October 30th, 2015 8:05pm
3 am is the deepest hour when you fall asleep. It can be that you need more rest during the day. Constant restless movement can cause tour body to be uncomfortable and wake you up at 3 am.
Profile: ImListening2U
ImListening2U
November 7th, 2015 11:04am
If its natural, it maybe because of something going on subconsciously in your head. Whatever it is, i hope that its pleasant and makes you smile.
Profile: SpiritedMeteor
SpiritedMeteor
August 20th, 2015 2:10pm
I wake up most often because my boyfriend is not great at snoozing! He needs a lot less sleep than I do; I could sleep for hours and hours past him. Fortunately, he's courteous enough to head into the living room when he wakes up to find something quiet to do. He's always been very considerate in that.
Anonymous
August 20th, 2015 10:33pm
Sometimes i have nightmares and then i wake up. This feeling really sucks . I usually try to calm down after that: Drink some water , take a deep breath or go on Tumblr . It really helps me to calm myself , so i can sleep fine after that. (:
Profile: Peacefulmeditation
Peacefulmeditation
August 19th, 2015 7:17am
Everybody has a different circadian rhythm. Usually it's from 4-10 hours for adults. Other causes can be nightmares to environmental intrusions.