[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] Falling asleep may not be difficult, but some people consistently wake up around 3 to 5 a.m. It is not just a brief awakening. Once they wake up, they often struggle to fall back asleep, and by morning they may feel even more tired. It may be dismissed as a matter of personality or a natural change with age, but repeated early-morning awakenings can be a sign that sleep quality is declining.
Waking up in the early morning cannot be explained by insomnia alone. There are many possible causes, ranging from emotional factors such as stress, tension, depression, and anxiety to physical issues such as caffeine intake, irregular sleep habits, nighttime urination, and pain.
Cortisol, the hormone that helps the body respond to stress and prepare for the morning, is also an important factor. Cortisol normally rises gradually from before dawn, but repeated stress, tension, or lack of sleep can disrupt its rhythm. However, early-morning awakenings should not be attributed to cortisol alone. Sleep apnea, insomnia, depression, and physical illness should also be considered.
Kim Jin-hee, head of neurology at Seran General Hospital, explained, "Early-morning awakening refers to waking up in the early hours and having difficulty falling back asleep. It shortens sleep time and lowers sleep quality, leading to morning fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and reduced concentration." She added, "It is different from sleep-onset insomnia, which makes it hard to fall asleep, and from middle insomnia, which involves waking up several times. But these patterns often overlap, so it is important to check when you wake up."
When symptoms appear, it is important to determine whether they are simply temporary early-morning awakenings or a sign that requires medical attention. If they occur only during periods of severe stress or after heavy drinking, and daytime functioning is not significantly affected, they may be considered relatively temporary. On the other hand, if early-morning awakenings continue for more than two weeks and are accompanied by severe morning fatigue, snoring, or sleep apnea, an evaluation of the cause is needed.
Kim Jin-hee emphasized, "Sleep apnea, in which breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, is also one of the causes of waking up too early. If necessary, polysomnography can be used to assess whether sleep apnea is present." She added, "If you repeatedly wake up early and feel tired in the morning, reduce smartphone use before bed, keep your wake-up and bedtime consistent, and treat sleep apnea and any underlying physical conditions."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
