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Staying asleep all night is often touted as the hallmark of a quality nights rest.
Yet for many of us, waking frequently throughout the night is perfectly normal.
Sleep experts have even given it a name Wakefulness After Sleep Onset (WASO).
We should all expect to have some amount of wakefulness at nighttime.
Does anyone really stay asleep all night?
Many of us put pressure on ourselves to stay asleep all night, but is that realistic?
No, says Dr Kansagra.
During this time we dip into deep sleep and then back into light sleep again.
Some sleep experts believe ourancestors considered waking up a normal part of the nightly routine.
How many times is it considered normal to wake up at night?
Rather than focusing on how often you’rewaking at night, consider instead how rested you feel overall.
“There is no discrete number for normal versus abnormal awakenings at night,” says Dr Kansagra.
“Instead I recommend focusing on the overall pattern of awakenings and how you feel the next day.”
When is waking up at night considered a problem?
Waking up at nightis common and happens so frequently that we often don’t remember it happening.
Here are five common causes of waking up at night.
Poor sleep environment
Your sleep environment plays a significant role in your ability tostay asleep all night.
Start by establishing anighttime routine, avoiding stimulants and cutting out scrolling in the lead up to bed time.
