Overview
- After roughly four to five hours of sleep, people enter lighter stages that make awakening around 4 a.m. more likely, according to The Sleep Charity’s Lisa Artis.
- A Bupa survey of 4,000 adults reported that an estimated 32 million Britons wake near 4:05 a.m., often worrying about their health.
- Doctors advise avoiding screens for about two hours before bed because blue light suppresses melatonin, and to charge devices outside the bedroom.
- Caffeine, alcohol, large late meals, and high-sugar or processed carbs can disrupt sleep, while protein- and magnesium-rich snacks may help maintain overnight stability.
- Ageing and perimenopause can fragment sleep by altering hormone balance, and simple steps such as limiting evening fluids, emptying the bladder, journaling worries, and practising relaxation can reduce awakenings.