Those who occasionally wake up in the middle of the night have similar "symptoms. Intrusive thoughts, anxiety and fear. You may abruptly remember that you forgot to close the front door, you didn't finish an urgent report, and you don't seem to have checked in for your morning flight. Professor Greg Murray of the Center for Mental Health at Swinburne University of Technology, explained what this has to do with and why all our fears dissipate in the morning.
"Our sleep reaches its zenith at 3 or 4 a.m. Body temperature begins to rise, cortisol (stress hormone) levels skyrocket, melatonin (sleep hormone) secretion peaks, and the urge to sleep, on the other hand, decreases, so the body prepares for the new day. It is noteworthy that all this happens regardless of external cues, such as dawn light, "- says the professor.
Psychologist explained why we often wake up at 3 am
In fact, we wake up many times during the night, especially during the REM sleep phase. During periods of stress, the likelihood of waking up in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep increases.
"Around this time we are at our lowest level of cognitive state. Add to that a lack of other resources, such as social connections. We are left alone with our thoughts. The mind comes to the conclusion that the problems in our lives are unsolvable," says the psychologist.
He also offers advice on how to deal with a state of unexplained anxiety in the night.
"When I notice that such thoughts arise, I gently return my attention to the sound of my breath (professional advice: earplugs help you hear your breath). Sometimes this meditation works. Sometimes it doesn't. If I'm still having negative thoughts after 15 or 20 minutes, I follow the advice of cognitive behavioral therapy and get up, turn on a dim light and read. This helps get rid of unproductive thinking."
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