The doctor named the main reasons for the sudden awakening in the middle of the night

When the cortisol production schedule is disrupted, it increases at night, and it acts as an internal alarm clock, forcing the body to wake up and mobilize. Elena Pavlova, a general practitioner, geriatrician, naturopath, and gastroenterologist, told Izvestia on August 28.

"The main causes of nighttime awakenings can be different, first of all, it is certainly stress, which increases anxiety, then sleep becomes restless, shallow and with awakenings," the doctor clarified.

Violation of the daily routine also leads to an imbalance of cortisol: in the morning its level is insufficient for activity, and in the evening the adrenal glands produce an excessive portion of the hormone, which prevents falling asleep. Drinking caffeine or alcohol before bedtime stimulates the release of cortisol and provokes awakenings.

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However, a lack of glucose at night or a heavy dinner causes the body to waste energy on digesting food or emergency energy production, which also increases cortisol levels. This hormone is closely related to circadian rhythms, and its abnormally high levels at night inhibit the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. As a result, the structure of sleep is disrupted: deep restorative phases are reduced, sleep becomes shallow and fragmented.

Additional factors that disrupt the production of cortisol and melatonin include bright blue light from gadgets in the evening and late-night workouts. To diagnose circadian rhythm disorders, it is recommended to keep a sleep diary for several weeks or use special devices — actigraphs. An accurate picture of cortisol secretion can only be obtained by analyzing at four points during the day in a hospital setting.

"High cortisol levels at night create a vicious circle: stress and anxiety stimulate its release, which leads to awakenings and disrupts the hormone production schedule. As a result, its level drops in the morning, and activity is minimal. Even worries about a possible nighttime awakening increase anxiety and maintain high cortisol levels throughout the day," Pavlova said.

To solve the problem, she says, it is necessary to gradually eliminate stress factors and other adverse conditions that affect cortisol production.

Psychologist Valeria Litvintseva, in an interview with Izvestia on August 14, spoke about the phenomenon of happiness fatigue. According to her, this phenomenon, referred to in the professional environment as "stability discomfort syndrome," is characterized by a paradoxical reaction of the psyche to the absence of external stressors.

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