As Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., professor of population health and psychiatry at NYU, explains, “Some dreams with vivid content can wake you up temporarily. This could be the case when one is being chased or is experiencing the sensation of flying or falling off a platform.” This does not mean that external influences like bedroom noise can’t also wake you up while you happen to be dreaming, but as it would seem, some dreams also do have a way of shaking us into consciousness. According to her, anything from too much water before bed to too much blue light and even elevated stress, can also disrupt your ability to sleep through the night and cause you to wake up in the middle of a REM cycle. Not to mention, Jean-Louis adds, the older we get, the more likely we’ll need to get up to use the bathroom during the night. And for those with sleep apnea, breathing pauses while sleeping cause one to wake up in order to resume breathing. “Limit water intake close to bedtime, and avoid blue light, choosing instead a relaxing bedtime routine,” Robbins recommends. “Keep your bedroom cool, and find ways to deal with negative stressors, such as news or exposing yourself to stressful discussions or images close to bedtime.” In the case of sleep apnea or trouble breathing during the night, however, Jean-Louis says it’s important to skip the lifestyle tweaks and seek medical care immediately. If pain from an injury is what’s keeping you up in the middle of the night, you also may want to see a doctor. Sleep is a crucial aspect of overall health and well-being, and with a few helpful considerations, we can all rest easy—and hopefully, through the night.
