From Cleveland Clinic
I emptied the dishwasher at 2:45 the other day.
Just another household task, right? Except it was 2:45 a.m.; not 2:45 p.m. About twice a week, I wake up around 3 a.m. Sometimes I can fall back asleep; other times I listen to a podcast or scroll through TikTok until I get drowsy. And then there are days when sleep is so elusive that my day begins hours before sunrise.
Sound familiar? Many of us find ourselves waking up at the same time every night. Whether it’s midnight or 2:45 a.m., a Cleveland Clinic sleep expert weighs in on why you might be seeing the same time on the clock again and again.
“It might be that, over time, your brain and body have become conditioned to wake up at a certain time. It’s just become like clockwork,” explains Alicia Roth, PhD, sleep psychologist for Cleveland Clinic.
To help break this cycle, try experimenting with your bedtime. Dr. Roth suggests going to bed 30 minutes to an hour later to see if you’re losing your sleep drive by calling it a night too early. If that doesn’t work, frequently waking up can also be a sign of a disorder like insomnia or sleep apnea. Dr. Roth said both conditions can lead to being overly tired throughout the day and other health consequences.
So, when should you seek help? “When your sleep issues start to impact the way you’re functioning, that would be the best time to see a sleep specialist to talk about what issues you’re having and what solutions there might be,” she says. Dr. Roth adds that properly treating any long-term sleep issues is key for both you and your partner to get a good night’s sleep.
