00:00Waking up at 3 a.m. regularly can become very annoying.
00:03In tonight's House Call segment, Dr. Mariana Brown shares with us
00:07why you keep waking up at 3 a.m. and what you can do to get your precious sleep back
00:12on track.
00:23Do you keep waking up at 2 or 3 in the morning and sometimes at the same time every night?
00:30Have you ever wondered why it's so easy for you to fall asleep but difficult for you to stay asleep?
00:36Well, sometimes the answer could be as simple as stress.
00:41Other times, your body may be indicating an underlying medical condition.
00:46Tonight on House Call, we're talking about 5 reasons you may be waking up at night
00:51and when it's time to be conceived.
00:53First, stress and anxiety.
00:55When you're stressed, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine,
01:01making it harder to maintain uninterrupted sleep.
01:05You might find yourself waking up to think about work, finances, and other problems,
01:11struggling to fall back asleep.
01:14Second, obstructive sleep apnea.
01:16This happens when your airway becomes repeatedly blocked during sleep,
01:21causing brief interruptions in breathing.
01:24You may wake up gasping for air, you may snore loudly,
01:27or you may feel extremely tired during the day, even after a solid 8 hours of sleep.
01:34Third, substances like alcohol and caffeine.
01:37Alcohol may initially make you feel sleepy, but it can disrupt your sleep later in the night.
01:43Caffeine can stay in your system for several hours after consumption,
01:47making your sleep lighter and increasing nighttime awakenings.
01:52A good practice is to cut off your caffeine drinking by 2 p.m.
01:57Fourth, waking up to urinate or pee at night.
02:00Drinking water before bed can contribute to this,
02:04but urinating at night can also be a sign of diabetes,
02:09obstructive sleep apnea, and an enlarged prostate.
02:12Fifth, hormonal changes.
02:15During perimenopause and menopause,
02:18you may experience night sweats and hot flashes that can interrupt your sleep.
02:23This can happen before you even know what's waking you up.
02:27So what can you do?
02:28Try maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.
02:32Limit caffeine later on in the day and avoid alcohol before bed.
02:37And keep your bedroom cool and comfortable.
02:40If you wake up and can't fall back asleep, try avoiding checking your phone.
02:45The light can upset your circadian rhythm.
02:48And if you're waking up frequently at night, particularly with loud snoring, gasping for air,
02:54frequent urination, don't ignore it.
02:57Speak to your doctor.
02:58Remember, waking up occasionally is normal.
03:03But persistent disruptions to your sleep deserve attention.
03:08It's Dr. Mariana Brown for TV6 House Call.
03:11Take charge of your health.
03:12Take care.
03:20Take care.
