(Image credit: Future)

As someone who goes through periods of experiencing them frequently, I know how frustrating it is to keep waking up at 3 a.m. and not know why. It feels as though while everyone else is sound asleep, you’re staring at the clock or the ceiling, wondering how you’re going to get through another day in a fog of exhaustion.

“Waking up during the night is normal,” reassures Dr. Chris Winter , a double boarded sleep specialist. “We cycle through lighter and deeper sleep roughly every 90 minutes, and brief awakenings between cycles are part of healthy sleep. It only becomes a problem when you’re suddenly alert and can’t drift back off.”

If repeatedly waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to fall back asleep is stopping you from getting the rest you need, these are the common causes.

Why do I keep waking up at 3 a.m.? 5 common causes

Brief nighttime awakenings are normal. However, they become a problem when they impact the overall quality of your sleep.…