Why Do I Wake Up At 4Am?

Why do I wake up 4am every night?

What causes you to wake up in the middle of the night – As it turns out, there are multiple reasons why we randomly wake up in the middle of the night, including, but not limited to:

Noise: This could be from the sound of traffic outside and birds chirping, or your partner snoring next to you (or, as was often the case for me, a noisy upstairs neighbor). “The brain continues to register and process sounds during sleep, and as such, noise can be a major sleep stealer,” explains Terry Cralle, registered nurse and representative of the Better Sleep Council, Alcohol: A glass of wine with dinner may not seem like a bad idea, but as alcohol metabolizes in your system, it can disrupt your sleep, which can lead to tossing and turning and frequent awakenings. “Alcohol consumption is known to reduce the time spent in REM sleep and is also considered a diuretic, which may lead to middle-of-the-night bathroom trips,” says Cralle. Dinnertime: Eating too close to bedtime can also lead to waking up in the middle of the night because of heartburn and acid reflux. Stress: If earlier-than-usual awakenings are not your norm, you may consider what’s going on during waking hours and if stress from life or work may be impacting your sleep. Aging: As we get older, our quality of sleep tends to diminish as our sleep cycle changes, and medication can impact your sleep schedule as well.

Why do I wake up at 4 and can’t go back to sleep?

Waking Up in the Middle of the Night Most people wake up once or twice during the night. Reasons this might happen include drinking caffeine or alcohol late in the day, a poor sleep environment, a sleep disorder, or another health condition. When you can’t get back to sleep quickly, you won’t get enough quality sleep to keep you refreshed and healthy.

It’s important to figure out what’s waking you up so you can treat the problem and get some rest. In general, adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night for best health and well-being. That’s divided into periods of light, deep, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, when you dream. You cycle through these stages several times each night.

Most of your deep sleep happens early in the night. Toward morning, you’re mainly in REM and lighter sleep, when it’s easier for something to wake you up. Many health conditions have symptoms that can seem worse at night, such as:

Pain, especially from arthritis, heart failure, sickle cell anemia, or cancer. Tell your doctor if you hurt too much to stay asleep. They might need to change your medication. Breathing trouble from asthma, bronchitis, or another lung disease. Digestive problems, especially pain and cough from acid reflux or symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Hormones. Women often wake up at night when levels change around their periods or during menopause. Hot flashes and night sweats also disrupt sleep. Brain and nerve diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Peeing a lot, possibly because you drank a lot of fluids during the day or because of a health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or bladder inflammation.

Medications to treat these conditions can also affect your sleep, including beta-blockers, antidepressants, ADHD drugs, decongestants, and breathing treatments that have steroids. If health issues often interrupt your sleep, let your doctor know. It may mean you need to start treatment or change what you’ve been doing to get your symptoms under control.

Anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)Bipolar disorderDepressionSchizophrenia

If a mental health condition is keeping you awake, get help from your doctor or a mental health professional. Some of the things you do every day can keep you from sleeping well at night.

Your sleep schedule. Changing when you go to bed and wake up makes it hard to keep your internal clock set. Electronics. The light from your phone and computer can wake up your brain. Alcohol. A drink before bed may make you fall asleep quickly, but you’ll wake up in the night as it wears off. And it doesn’t let you get to the deep or REM sleep stages. Caffeine. It’s a stimulant that can take 8 hours to wear off. Smoking. Nicotine is another stimulant that can make you sleep less soundly. Many smokers wake up too early as their bodies start to crave a cigarette.

Things around you like light, pets, or the temperature can make it hard to stay asleep as you move between sleep stages. Experts suggest that you:

Put dark shades on windows or wear an eye mask to block light.Use earplugs, a fan, or a white noise machine to cover sounds.Keep the temperature on the cool side, between 60 and 70 degrees.

Your body has a natural cycle of sleepiness and alertness. Your hormones and daylight control it. When that gets thrown off, you have trouble sleeping. Causes include:

Age. Your body’s sleep rhythms change as you get older. You get tired earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. You also spend more time in lighter stages and less time in deep and REM stages.Jet lagWorking nights or rotating shifts

There’s not much you can do about some of these issues. Focus on the things you can control, like your daytime and nighttime habits and any health conditions that need treatment. Other types of sleep problems can affect your ability to stay asleep, such as:

, If you snore loudly and often, you may have obstructive, Tissues in your mouth and throat close off your airway, which stops your breathing many times a night. Your brain wakes you enough that you can breathe again, and you may wake up completely. One of the most effective treatments is to sleep with a breathing machine that keeps your airway open. Restless legs syndrome. This causes a tingling or prickling feeling that makes you want to stretch or move your legs. It can be worse at night. Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). Many people with restless legs also have this condition. Your arms and legs jerk and wake you up. Night terrors. These are episodes of screaming, thrashing, or acting scared while you sleep. They’re most common in children, but adults can have them, too.

Try some of these sleep hygiene practices to help you get more rest:

Don’t use tobacco. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol later in the day. Go outdoors for at least 15 minutes each day to set your internal clock. Get regular exercise. Work out at least 5 hours before bed. Stick to a sleep schedule. Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Don’t nap, especially later in the day. Follow a relaxing bedtime routine. Take a warm bath, listen to soft music, or read a book. Shut off electronic screens. Don’t use devices that have screens in the hour before bed. Don’t use your bed for anything other than sleeping or sex. Keep the room quiet, dark, and cool. Don’t just lie there. If you wake up and can’t get back to sleep after 15 or 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something calming until you feel drowsy again. Resist the urge to grab your phone while you try to get back to sleep.

: Waking Up in the Middle of the Night

What to do when its 4am and you can t sleep?

What Should I Do If I Can’t Sleep? I go to bed on time but sometimes I lie there for a while and can’t fall asleep. What should I do? – Thomas* Changes in rhythm mean it can be hard for teens to sometimes. If you find yourself lying awake in bed thinking about everything from your homework to whether it’s your turn to walk the dog in the morning, you may need a sleep reboot. Try this:

Start by trying to take your mind off any racing thoughts. Picture a relaxing scene that involves sleep and build that scene in your mind. So, let’s say your scene has you lying in a beach hammock under the stars. Imagine what the waves sound like. Are there other sounds, like palm trees rustling? What sensations do you feel (like the hammock swaying, or maybe a warm breeze blowing)? Is anyone else there with you? Focus completely on this scene for a while. If that doesn’t work and you’re still wide awake, try getting up for a short time. Get out of bed and do something relaxing that might make you feel drowsy — like reading or playing a repetitive game like Sudoku. Keep the lights low and go back to bed after 30 minutes or so (or sooner if you start feeling sleepy). Avoid technology, like phones, computers, or TV. Brightly lit screens can mislead your brain into thinking it’s time to wake up. And anything that stimulates your brain — from a text conversation to a video game — also can kick your body into wake-up mode.

Getting up for a short while can help if you have trouble falling asleep sometimes or if you occasionally wake up and can’t go back to sleep. But you don’t want to have to do it every night. If you have trouble falling asleep, it’s best to train your body to wind down and relax with a pre-sleep routine each night.

1. Doctors call this “good sleep hygiene.” includes activities that signal the body it’s time to sleep, like going to bed at the same time each night, shutting down technology, and keeping your room dark.
2. It also includes avoiding caffeine or other stimulants for several hours before bedtime.
3. It can help to treat sleep like any other goal: that helps you focus on it and get the results you want! *Names have been changed to protect user privacy.

Medically reviewed by: Date reviewed: January 2015 : What Should I Do If I Can’t Sleep?

Why do I wake up at 4am every night anxiety?

Nocturnal Anxiety – Why it Happens and How to Stop It We all know what it’s like to be anxious. A churning stomach, nausea, racing thoughts, a cold rush of fear. Some of us get clammy hands or cold feet; others begin pacing. Anxiety is a normal part of the human condition; it occurs as stress builds up over time. While occasional anxiety is to be expected, reoccurring panic and fear are not. Photo Credit: Pexels For some, nocturnal anxiety attacks are the worst part of an underlying anxiety disorder. There’s nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night with racing thoughts and a tight chest. We aren’t sure where to turn or what to do; as everyone else is fast asleep.

• It interferes with our sleep cycle, creates mental health problems during the day, and depletes our energy levels.
• Both daytime and nighttime anxiety are problematic, but night terrors or nocturnal panic attacks can be even more upsetting.
• So, what causes these late-night fits of terror and how do we stop them? Here is what we know.

What is Nocturnal Anxiety? Nocturnal anxiety is any type of panic or fear that occurs outside of normal wake-time hours. Those with nocturnal anxiety may have generalized anxiety during the day, and experience worse symptoms at night. Others may have little to no anxiety during the day, but experience severe panic after they go to sleep.

1. Individuals may wake up with a racing heart and symptoms of panic, almost as though they are jolted out of their sleep.
2. Or, an individual may slowly wake up and then begin to experience panic as he/she thinks about the day ahead.
3. Experts believe anxiety is worse at night because there are fewer distractions to turn to.

Thus, anxious individuals turn to their thoughts as they do not wish to disturb others (and believe they should remain in bed). Some individuals wake up at 4 or 5 with horrific anxiety attacks. This may be due to increased cortisol in the early morning, which causes greater stress in sensitive individuals.

The anxiety may ease off as the person begins his/her daily routine. However, it can dampen a person’s mood and lead to sleep problems, or a fear of going to sleep. This creates more anxiety, which leads to further nocturnal attacks. It is a vicious cycle that must be stopped, or it can get much worse.

Best Practices to Limit Nocturnal Anxiety Treatment varies depending on the underlying problems causing the anxiety and the specific needs of the patient. However, there are some best practices you can put in place today to limit late-night panic. This includes –

· Stop fighting the panic · Use deep breathing techniques · Get up, rather than sit still and think · Read a book in bed · Go back to bed when the anxiety is over · Give yourself enough time to get read in the morning so you don’t feel dread upon waking · Establish a regular, consistent sleep routine · Put away technology at least 2 hours before bedtime · Limit upsetting news or social media as much as possible during the day · Limit any distressing situations or people who are creating the anxiety · Learn positive thinking patterns to replace negative thinking habits · Limit caffeine, sugar, and alcohol

Nocturnal anxiety can be a scary thing, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Anxiety is a signal that something is wrong. Once that wrong is addressed, the anxiety will naturally dissipate. Finding a therapist who can address the root cause of the problem will help to eliminate nocturnal (and daytime anxiety) so you can get a good night’s sleep.

How can I stop waking up at 4am?

Experts reveal why you keep waking up at 4am, and how you can prevent it Ever find yourself awake, staring into space at four in the morning? Is it just a bad habit, or is there something more sinister going on? And why does it always seem to happen at 4am? “We start to experience less deep sleep after around four to five hours,” says Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Charity, who have partnered with Simba mattresses.

And once we’re in that lighter sleep faze, we wake much more easily. If you generally fall asleep around 11pm – which is a very common bedtime, 4am wake-ups are more likely. And there are many factors leading to these inconvenient stirrings. Hormones “Sleep is guided by our internal clock or circadian rhythm.

One of the most significant and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle,” Artis continues. “Sleep is regulated by the levels of two hormones: melatonin and cortisol, which follow a regular 24-hour pattern. Melatonin assists you in dozing off, while cortisol helps get you up, and keeps you awake,” she explains.

Eeping an eye on your hormones is important in preventing those late-night wake-ups. “Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practising relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or meditation,” says Dr Mariyam H. Malik, GP at Pall Mall Medical. Equally, pop your phone down for a bit.

“Blue light from electronic devices can suppress melatonin production. Try to avoid screens for at least two hours before bedtime, or use blue light filters. It is best to charge them in a separate room overnight,” Malik adds.

• Diet
• Caffeine, heavy meals, alcohol, sugar, and a lack of magnesium or B vitamins could lead you to have a more disturbed night’s sleep, according to Malik.
• Sugar and carbohydrates may have a particular impact.
• “A diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can cause blood sugar fluctuations, leading to wakefulness during the night,” she says.

Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial “It’s unlikely you’ll feel hungry in the middle of the night if your blood sugar dips,” notes Artis, “but to reduce ungodly hour awakenings, trial alternatives for your last meal or snack of the evening.

1. can take the edge off your night-time hunger, she says, while magnesium is known to support sleep.
2. Needing a wee
3. Do you wake up needing to wee at the same time every night?

“Try not to drink excessive amounts of fluids before bedtime,” advises Malik. “It’s important to stay hydrated, but try not to drink anything for around two hours before your usual bedtime. Go to the toilet before you go to bed to empty your bladder. ” Age and life stage “Sleep tends to become more disrupted as people get older,” Malik explains.

1. Sleep patterns change with age, and various factors can contribute to sleep disturbances in older adults.
2. Some common reasons for sleep disruption in the elderly include changes in your circadian rhythm, decreased melatonin production, medical conditions or medications, and potential sleep disorders.” It can also affect women during the perimenopause.

“The reproductive hormones – oestrogen and progesterone – are entwined with the sleep and relaxation hormones, melatonin and serotonin,” says Artis. “When oestrogen begins to fall before and during menopause, it can create a disturbance in the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, meaning it can’t properly balance out cortisol.

1. When this happens, the ability to fall and stay asleep is affected.” Recurring hot flushes, night sweats, dry skin, and low libido can signal waning oestrogen.
2. Artis advises incorporating foods with high levels of phytoestrogens into your diet throughout the day to help with this.
3. Phytoestrogens imitate the natural estrogens found in your body.

As a consequence, they can bind to your body’s oestrogen receptors and produce similar effects.” Try lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli. Worrying Stress is not good for sleep. One study by Bupa even found that 32 million wake up worrying about their health at precisely 4:05 am.

• The report, which surveyed 4,000 adults, revealed that more than three-fifths of us wake up in the middle of the night.
• If you are finding yourself awake at all hours worrying, or waking up with stressful dreams, there are a few things that may help.
• Eep a journal by your bedside and write down your worries before going to bed.

This practice can help get your concerns out of your mind and onto paper, making it easier to let go of them temporarily,” says Malik. You may also want to “engage in mindfulness or meditation exercises before bedtime. can help you focus on the present moment, reducing anxiety about the past or the future.” : Experts reveal why you keep waking up at 4am, and how you can prevent it

Should I go back to sleep if I wake up at 4 am?

Here’s what you should do if you wake up before your alarm and don’t want to feel tired all day Shutterstock Many of us start the morning with the sound of an alarm. Yet there’s always that occasional day when you wake up an hour or two before that classic ringing sound fills the room.

• On mornings like this, you’ve got two choices: Either emerge from the covers and get a head start to the day, or you try to go back to sleep.
• But which is the better choice if you want to avoid feeling tired and groggy all day?
• That’s the question we asked Mayo Clinic professor of medicine and former president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, MD.
• Morgenthaler, who’s also board certified in the field of sleep medicine, says before you choose you should first ask yourself an obvious, yet key, question: “Am I done sleeping?”

An easy way to answer this question is to determine whether you’ve put in enough hours of sleep. Most adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep a day, and there’s no way of getting around that, according to the National Institute of Health. If you’ve clocked in enough shut-eye, then waking up early is simply your body’s natural reaction to two interacting systems that control “the overall drive to sleep or stay asleep,” said Morgenthaler:

1. The first is called, a basic principal that pushes you to sleep longer and more intensely if and when you haven’t slept enough.
2. The second is your circadian rhythm, or your internal biological clock, which is responsible for why we start to feel tired in the evening, as opposed to the morning or afternoon.

While the homeostatic mechanism in your body regulates the intensity of your sleep, your circadian clock regulates the time of day your body starts and stops craving sleep.

1. So if you occasionally wake up early after putting in at least seven hours of sleep the night before, it’s probably your body’s way of telling you that you’ve satisfied both systems and you should get up and start your day, Morgenthaler said.
2. “The overall best is if you can wake up naturally because you’re done sleeping,” he said.
3. On the other hand, if you’re waking up early on just a few hours of sleep, you should probably try and squeeze in some more shuteye.
4. If you get up early, you’re not only depriving yourself of sleep, but you’re also robbing your body of the majority of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep — the stage of sleep that, according to the :

• Provides energy to brain and body
• Supports daytime performance
• Is when the brain is active and dreams occur

In general, many of us get the most of our REM sleep between the hours of, So if you’re waking up early between those hours and you haven’t had at least seven hours of shut-eye, you might begin to feel groggy as the day pushes on. Bottom line: If you’re like most adults, then you need at least seven hours of sleep a night — regardless of when you first wake up.

How do you break the cycle of waking up in the middle of the night?

Stop waking up in the middle of the night by improving your sleep hygiene. This includes getting light first thing and avoiding light, caffeine, large meals, and alcohol close to bedtime; keeping a consistent sleep pattern; and making sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.

Why am I awake from 2am to 4am?

The Importance of Treating the Whole Person – Waking up in the middle of the night is common. The most common cause is a liver problem, but there may be other reasons why your sleep is disrupted including sleep apnea, nocturnal hypoglycemia, viral infection, urinary issues, digestive issues, potential food allergies or stress.

Remember that the information in this article does not replace the advice or treatment from your doctor. The incorporation of relevant testing, genetic data, symptoms, nutrient deficiencies and health condition of the individual is needed to fully asses what is going on when a person has frequent sleep disturbance.

The key is to identify the cause and address the imbalances. If the cause of your imbalances is treated then not only will your sleep improve, your overall health will as well. Read more about how Functional Medicine and our article ‘Benefits of a Circadian Rhythm Reset’ If you would like to speak to me to ask questions about functional medicine, sleep or how I can help you, please schedule a Free 15 Minute Consultation or call or text my office at 913-728-5291.

My clinic offers functional medicine appointments as well as manual chiropractic treatments, I do online consultations for those out-of-state or outside of the United States. If you think that you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this information.

Nor should you ever delay seeking medical advice or treatment due to the information contained on this Website.

When should I go to bed if I have to wake up at 4am?

Sleep calculator

Wake-up time	Bedtime: 7.5 hours of sleep (5 cycles)	Bedtime: 9 hours of sleep (6 cycles)
4 a.m.	8:15 p.m.	6:45 p.m.
4:15 a.m.	8:30 p.m.	7 p.m.
4:30 a.m.	8:45 p.m.	7:15 p.m.
4:45 a.m.	9 p.m.	7:30 p.m.

How do I deal with 4am anxiety?

You might experience anxiety at night, which might be because of symptoms like nocturnal panic attacks or a racing heartbeat. Anxiety can disrupt your sleep and make it difficult to drift back to sleep. That’s because anxiety and sleep are closely linked,

Anxiety can worsen a sleep disorder, such as insomnia, but difficulty sleeping can also worsen anxiety. In either case, taking steps like getting up to relax until you’re asleep or exercising earlier in the day could help you go back to sleep and improve your overall health. Stressful life events and anxiety can make your mind more active than usual and trigger a heightened mental and emotional state called hyperarousal.

As a result, your fight-or-flight response—or how your body automatically reacts to stressful events—can be thrown off balance. Usually, when you wake up in the morning, your brain releases more noradrenaline (also called norepinephrine). This hormone is involved in your fight-or-flight response and is linked to certain brain functions that keep you awake.

Daytime stress: Being stressed during the day is associated with disrupted sleep at night. That’s more likely for people whose sleep is particularly vulnerable to stress. Mental health disorders related to anxiety or stress: Disorders like generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder can also provoke or worsen sleep difficulties. Sleep deprivation : Losing sleep during the night can cause an unusual increase in noradrenaline levels. In turn, you might suddenly wake up with anxiety at night and find it difficult to fall back asleep.

Anxiety symptoms may vary according to the disorder. However, general symptoms can include:

Difficulty concentrating or controlling feelings of worry Easy fatigue Feelings of doom Irrational worries Irritability Restlessness or feeling wound up and on edge Sleep problems Tense muscles Trembling or shaking

It’s also possible to experience panic attacks that happen at night—also called nocturnal panic attacks. These panic attacks can jolt you awake. Typical signs of a panic attack can include:

Chills or hot flashesDizziness, feeling faintElevated, racing heartbeat Feelings of fear and loss of controlNausea or abdominal pain Numb or tingling sensations in the bodyRacing, unwanted worries (intrusive thoughts)Shortness of breath, chest pain, or difficulty breathing Sweating

Since anxiety and sleep are so closely related, a potentially never-ending cycle can emerge. Waking up with stress, worry, and anxiety can make it harder to fall back asleep. This inability to relax the mind and drift off, in turn, causes even more anxiety.

Having anxiety, a stress disorder like PTSD, or a sleep disorder can disrupt your rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep. The REM sleep stage can help you process your emotions and adapt to fearful or stressful events by reducing your emotional responses when recalling the events. If anxiety causes you to lose out on REM sleep, you may spend less time recovering from emotional events.

Reducing anxiety can improve your sleep. Several strategies can help manage anxiety and stress:

Anxiety redirection: Being more engaged in your community, such as volunteering or simply lending your neighbor a hand, can help take your mind off your stress and anxiety. Exercise: Studies show that physical activity can reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders, Regular exercise in the mornings and afternoons can also improve sleep. Meditation: Deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)—when you tense one area of your body at a time—can help you relax. Professional assistance: If you have an anxiety or stress disorder or suspect you do, it’s worth talking to a psychiatrist or therapist. They can provide treatments, such as medications and therapy. Relaxing activities: Unwind from the day and get ready for sleep with a bedtime routine of relaxing activities. Try listening to music, reading, journaling, or taking a bath. Task management: It might help to write down what you must do during the day. Break down those extra stressful tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Try to prioritize your time with the important stuff.

Some techniques can help you reset and go back to sleep. Try these tips:

Change your environment, if possible: Make your sleeping area as comfortable as possible to help facilitate sleep. Your environment should generally be cool, dark, and quiet, with supportive pillows and mattresses. Don’t clock-watch: If you have difficulty sleeping, don’t check the clock. Knowing what time it is may only add to your worries if you’ve woken up with anxiety. This can contribute to the vicious cycle of anxiety and sleep. Establish a screen-free bed: If you are trying to go back to sleep, avoid checking your phone in bed, don’t watch TV, and keep your laptop packed up. Get up and do something relaxing: If you can’t fall back asleep and 15 minutes have passed, go into another room for a moment. Sit in a comfortable chair and read or do some breathing exercises. After relaxing, try going to bed again. Reduce certain types of lighting: If you can’t keep your room dark, reduce blue or white lights. Dim yellow and orange or red lights won’t interrupt your sleep as much. Write about future tasks: If something is coming up that’s making your mind race, writing down what you have to do may help you sleep. One small study found that participants who wrote down their to-do lists fell asleep faster than those who wrote about what they’d completed.

Since sleep difficulties can worsen anxiety and interfere with your sleep, it’s important to know when to get help. Anxiety disorders are very common; about 30% of adults experience them at some point. Talk to a healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment if you have anxiety and sleep loss.

They can provide ways to manage your condition, such as therapy or medication. Anxiety upon waking up can make falling back asleep difficult, and as you toss and turn, the worries and fears may only worsen. Whether from a mental health disorder or periodic stress, managing anxiety—and learning ways to fall back asleep—can be a critical part of maintaining your overall health.

Keep an eye on how much rest you’re getting, and if you suspect you have a mental health disorder, seek help from a healthcare provider.

Can depression make you wake up in the middle of the night?

Depression and Sleep: Understanding the Connection Depression and sleep problems are closely linked. People with, for example, may have a tenfold higher risk of developing depression than people who get a good night’s sleep. And among people with depression, 75 percent have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Which comes first? “Either one can be the starting point,” says Johns Hopkins sleep researcher “Poor sleep may create difficulties regulating emotions that, in turn, may leave you more vulnerable to depression in the future—months or even years from now.

And depression itself is associated with sleep difficulties such as shortening the amount of restorative slow-wave sleep a person gets each night.” If you have, daily stresses—such as financial worries, an argument with your spouse, or a jam-packed evening commute—could also lead to more nighttime wake-ups and more trouble getting back to sleep than someone without depression would experience.

Understanding the relationship between insomnia and depression can help you spot risks early, get the right help, and recover more fully if you are experiencing both. You’ll feel healthy, well-rested, and able to enjoy life again. Here’s what you need to know about depression and sleep:

Why do I keep waking up at 4am with my hand asleep?

Waking up with numb hands is typically a sign of an issue with the circulation or the nerves in the arms. It can result from falling asleep on the arms or with the hands in an awkward position, but some causes may need medical attention. Less commonly, waking up with numb hands could be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or a form of nerve damage.

Diagnosis generally involves tests to check the nerve function. If the doctor suspects a particular underlying cause, they may also order other tests specific to it. The type of treatment will depend on the diagnosis. Keep reading to learn more about the causes of waking up with numb hands, as well as the diagnosis and treatment.

Numbness in the hands generally means that there is compression or a lack of signal in one of the nerves controlling the hands. The three major nerves that lead to the hand are the ulnar, median, and radial nerves. Compression of these nerves can cause pain and numbness in one or more areas of the hand.