We have a Disneyfied idea of sleep. We imagine putting our head on the pillow, blacking out instantly, and waking up 8 hours later with birds singing.
If you wake up at 3:00 AM, you panic. “Something is wrong with me.”
Let me reassure you: Nobody sleeps through the night. Not me. Not your doctor. Not even the best sleepers in the world.
The Biology of Awakening
Human sleep is designed in cycles of approximately 90 minutes. We go from Light Sleep -> Deep Sleep -> REM Sleep.
Between these cycles, there is often a brief “micro-awakening.” We might shift position, fix the blanket, or check for danger (an evolutionary holdover). Most “good” sleepers fall back asleep so quickly they don’t remember it in the morning (retrograde amnesia).
“Bad” sleepers simply remember waking up. And then they start thinking about it.
The Historical “Second Sleep”
For most of human history, sleeping in one 8-hour block was weird. Historian Roger Ekirch found that before the industrial revolution, humans slept in two shifts. 1. First Sleep: Sunset to around 2:00 AM. 2. The Watch: A 1-2 hour waking period used for reading, praying, or intimacy. 3. Second Sleep: Until dawn.
Waking up in the middle of the night is not a disorder; it is our natural state.
How to Handle the Awakening
The problem isn’t the waking up; it’s the reaction.
- Bad Reaction: Look at clock -> “It’s 3 AM!” -> “If I don’t sleep now, I’ll be tired” -> Heart rate spikes -> Awake for 2 hours.
- Good Reaction: Wake up -> “Oh, just a cycle change” -> “It feels nice to be in this warm bed” -> Do nothing -> Asleep in 5 minutes.
Tips for the 3 AM Club:
1. Don’t Check the Time: Knowing it is 3:14 AM helps you in no way. It only adds math anxiety (“I have 3 hours left”). 2. Stay in the Dark: Light is the enemy. 3. Enjoy the Rest: If you can’t sleep, just enjoy the sensation of the mattress. It is quiet. No one needs anything from you. It is your private time.Embrace the wakefulness. It usually goes away the moment you stop fighting it.
The Slumbelry Commitment
Sleep is the most vulnerable state of human existence. It is where we heal, reset, and grow.
At Slumbelry, we don’t just sell sleep products; we advocate for your physiological right to rest. From ergonomic support to light management, every solution we offer is designed with one obsession: Respecting your Biology.
Science is our language, but your recovery is our purpose. You take care of everything else in your life—let us take care of your nights.
Rest Deeply,
The Slumbelry Team
