11 Reasons You Wake Up At Night

Stress. It’s the principal cause of insomnia and affects millions of Americans. How does stress cause insomnia? Dr. Tracy Latz, a licensed, board-certified integrative psychiatrist and author, located in the Charlotte, NC region, explains that falling asleep is a natural process that involves a series of events. “As we approach sleep, metabolism gradually decreases, heart rate slows and blood pressure lowers,” she says. “Breathing becomes deeper and more regular; and we utilize less oxygen.”Blame cortisol, released during a stress response, for waking you. Dr. Latz says that blood levels of cortisol have been shown to increase 50-160% within 30 minutes of waking. That powerful jolt wakes up and helps to get us moving in the morning. After that, cortisol levels should decrease as the day progresses and reach their lowest point in the evening, allowing us to rest, relax, and then drift off to sleep.When we experience prolonged stress, whether real or perceived, cortisol levels get stuck at a chronically high level. “That’s bad news for our bodies and emotions, and especially bad news for our ability to sleep and relax,” she says. “Chronically elevated cortisol leaves us perpetually hyper-aroused.”