What’s behind 3 a.m. wake-ups in older people — and should you worry?

In short, your body may no longer be receiving the hormonal “stay asleep” call like it used to.

This is often made even worse with light exposure. We also become more sensitive to subtle environmental cues that tell our brain that morning is approaching. This cues include the light reaching to your room from the street lights, the screen of your phone, the lights of the clock, and similar, which further supress melatonin and stimulates your brain into the wake-up mode.

The outcome is that you will be sleeping lighter and shorter, and it’s not because anything is “wrong” with you but simply because your sleep biology has changed over time.

2. Shifts in the internal clock (circadian rhythm)

Another reason for waking up early might be simply because there is a change in your body’s internal clock. This can be seen in the need of going to bed early with age. So when a person goes to bed at around 9 p.m. it’s not unusual for their body to finish its sleep cycle at 3 a.m.

This doesn’t mean you are suffering from insomnia,but it’s your body merely adapting to its internal clock.