Often Awakening In The Middle Of The Night? It Turns Out That This Is The Cause

Illustration of women waking up at night (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - When they hear the word insomnia, most people immediately think about difficulty sleeping or often waking up at night. However, there are other types of sleep disorders that are no less disturbing, namely late insomnia or what is often called early morning Awakening.

According to Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a doctor and sleep specialist, late insomnia is a condition when a person wakes up much earlier than he wants and can't go back to sleep, even though the body is still feeling tired.

Reporting from the Healthshots page, this disorder can be experienced by anyone, but it often occurs with age. The good news, there are many ways to deal with it.

Although not an official medical diagnosis, bed doctors call late insomnia a condition when someone wakes up 1.5 to 2 hours earlier than the planned time. This lasts at least three times a week for three consecutive months.

There are several main reasons why this condition is more common for older people, including:

1. Change of Sirkadian Ritme

As we age, the body's biological clock changes too. The body tends to make us sleep better at night and automatically wake up early. In addition, parents usually have less sound sleep and are in mild sleep stage more often, making it easy to wake up.

Melatonin production is a hormone that regulates the quality of sleep as well. Plus, sleep disorders such as sleep apnea are becoming more common with age, which makes sleep even more disturbed.

2. Hormone Changes

For women, the periodiopause and menopause period can trigger sleep problems, including late insomnia. The decrease in the hormone estrogen and progesteron affect the sleep center in the brain and the rhythm of circadirian.

In addition to making sleep lighter and easily fragmented, many menopaused women also experience night sweat or hot flashes that make them wake up early in the morning and have trouble sleeping again.

3. Depression and Anxiety

Late insomnia is often associated with depression. Research shows depression can change sleep rhythm while increasing cortisol levels in the morning, which eventually makes a person wake up faster

Anxiety and stress also play a role, because it keeps the brain in alert condition, making it difficult to return to sleep after waking up.

4. Alcohol

Many people think alcohol can help sleep faster. It's true at first, but research shows alcohol actually interferes with sleep quality, especially in the REM phase that occurs in the second half of the night. As a result, a person is more often awakened in the early hours of the morning.

How To Overcome Late Insomnia

The first step is to find out the cause. For example, if you're used to drinking alcohol before bed, try stopping for a few weeks to see change. If night sweat is a problem, use cooler bed sheets or lower room temperature.

If you don't know the exact cause, try starting from sleep habits:

- Sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

- Create a calming routine before bed.

- Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and light screen exposure towards the evening.

If the problem is related to mental health such as depression or anxiety, you should consult a therapist or doctor. Sleep specialists can also help find the cause and provide the right solution.