## **Waking Up at 3 AM Every Night? Here Are 8 Common Reasons (And How to Fix Them)**
You fall asleep just fine. The night feels peaceful. Then—like clockwork—you’re suddenly awake at **3:00 a.m.**, staring at the ceiling, mind racing, body alert, sleep nowhere in sight.
Waking up at the same time every night—especially between **2:00 and 4:00 a.m.**—is one of the most common sleep complaints. And while it can feel mysterious or even alarming, there are usually **very real, very fixable reasons** behind it.
Let’s break down the **8 most common causes of waking up at 3 a.m.**, what’s actually happening in your body, and—most importantly—**how to fix it**.
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## **Why 3 AM Is Such a Common Wake-Up Time**
Sleep isn’t one long, uninterrupted state. It moves in cycles of light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, repeating every 90 minutes or so.
Around **3 a.m.**, several things happen at once:
* Your sleep becomes lighter
* Stress hormones like cortisol may start to rise
* Your body temperature is at its lowest
* Your brain is more prone to alertness
This makes 3 a.m. a **vulnerable window**—any imbalance can snap you awake.
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