As I get older, I wake up more and more frequently in the middle of the night. I don't know what's going on. "" After drinking too much alcohol, I often wake up in the early morning and find it difficult to fall asleep afterwards. What should I do? "" I like to work until dawn at night and sleep during the day. Does this count as staying up late? "Recently, many people have consulted reporters about sleep related issues, such as waking up at around 1am or 3am, and having difficulty falling asleep after waking up... What are the reasons for this? How to have good sleep? Recently, reporters interviewed Tan Hong, the director and chief physician of the Neurology Center at Changsha First Hospital, on issues related to sleep. She said that waking up easily in the middle of the night and finding it difficult to fall asleep is usually related to sleep maintenance disorders, such as physiological factors, psychological factors, environmental factors, lifestyle habits, etc. Once sleep problems affect normal life and work the next day, it is necessary to seek medical attention promptly. Waking up early "may be a sign of aging or illness in the human body. After turning sixty, I always wake up automatically at two or three in the morning and find it difficult to fall asleep again. I have to roll in bed until four or five in the morning to feel sleepy. ”Recently, Li Zhixuan, who lives in the Pearl River Huacheng Community, Kaifu District, complained about his "sleep difficulty" with friends who danced square dance together. Unexpectedly, this topic has resonated with many old buddies, who have expressed that they also experience this phenomenon as they get older. Older people may have difficulty falling asleep when they wake up in the middle of the night, which may be related to reduced melatonin secretion and shortened sleep cycles. ”Tan Hong stated that in clinical practice, waking up between 2 and 4 in the morning and having difficulty falling back asleep after waking up is generally referred to as "early awakening". Occasional "early awakening" is generally not a concern, as it is related to the decrease in melatonin secretion caused by aging. But if you frequently wake up early, it will bring a series of negative effects to your body, such as affecting your mental state the next day, feeling tired and weak, significantly reducing work efficiency, and possibly causing physiological discomfort such as palpitations, chest tightness, diarrhea, etc., which will have a significant impact on normal life and need to be taken seriously. Diseases or pain disturbances can also affect sleep. ”Tan Hong said that arthritis, respiratory system diseases, urinary system problems, and neurological diseases can also cause discomfort at night. In addition, some physiological reasons can also lead to "early awakening": firstly, the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day, while the elderly only need 5 to 7 hours. If you sleep too early at night, you may wake up in the early morning of the next day; Secondly, many people are accustomed to looking at their phones before going to bed. The blue light emitted by their phones can affect the secretion of melatonin, which can affect normal sleep quality and lead to "early awakening". Moreover, drinking alcohol before bedtime can easily cause people to wake up in the middle of the night, as its sleep aid effect disappears after alcohol metabolism is completed. In addition, people's body temperature may decrease during sleep, and if the indoor temperature is too high or the blanket is too thick, it is also easy for people to wake up in the middle of the night. If you wake up in the middle of the night and find it difficult to fall asleep again, you can try these methods: relax your body and mind, adjust your breathing rhythm, avoid overthinking, and most people can fall asleep quickly. ”Tan Hong suggests that patients should seek treatment after identifying the cause, avoid drinking too much water before going to bed, avoid drinking strong tea, coffee, and other beverages, refrain from vigorous exercise, and avoid eating spicy and stimulating foods. The 'eight hour sleep theory' has been broken! How long is suitable for sleeping? I work night shifts, starting at 8 o'clock every night and finishing at 4 o'clock the next morning. I start sleeping from 6 o'clock in the morning until evening and sleep for 8 hours. Does it count as staying up late? ”Xiao Wang, who works in a bar, is concerned about his health. Regarding this, Tan Hong said that if conditions permit, it is best to follow the natural biological clock of "rising at sunrise and setting at sunset". Additionally, it is widely known that getting 8 hours of sleep per day is not necessary for everyone. Sleep has strong individualized differences, blindly pursuing 8 hours of sleep can easily lead to sleep anxiety and affect physical and mental health. She told reporters that instead of focusing on sleep duration, we should pay more attention to sleep quality. Normal adults have 4 to 6 sleep cycles per night, each lasting 90 to 110 minutes. During this process, they go through three stages: non eye movement sleep, eye movement sleep, and rapid eye movement sleep, which are also the process of transitioning from shallow to deep sleep states. Deep sleep is very important for the body to restore energy and eliminate fatigue. If the sleep state at night is always in light sleep, even if you sleep for enough time, it is easy to feel tired. If you are in deep sleep for a long time, even without 8 hours of sleep, you will feel energetic when you wake up. If he wakes up feeling energetic and able to cope with the next day's work normally, we consider his sleep to be qualified. ”Tan Hong reminds that if "early awakening" occurs frequently and affects daily life, please seek medical attention in a timely manner. How can health tips promote sleep? ● Relax the body: Try the progressive muscle relaxation method, starting from the toes and gradually relaxing the muscles throughout the body. Adjust breathing: Take deep breaths, silently count for 4 seconds when inhaling, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and silently count for 6 seconds when exhaling, which can help lower heart rate and relieve tension. ● Avoid stimulation: Do not look at devices that emit blue light such as mobile phones or televisions before bedtime, and do not think about complex problems to prevent the brain from getting excited again. Create a good sleeping environment: Ensure that the bedroom is quiet, dark, and the temperature is appropriate, and auxiliary tools such as earplugs and eye masks can be used. (New Society)