Expert explains why you keep waking up at 4am and it's not just because you're tired

Broken sleep is a niggle that can set you up for a bad day, but there are a few things you can do to help sleep through the night.

Personally, I'm used to waking up several times a night now as my son, a toddler, is in a routine where he wakes up at around 2am to get into mine and his mom's bed and proceeds to take up my side of the mattress.

But who can relate to that?

However, what may resonate with you is when you suddenly wake up in the middle of the night - most commonly at 4am, so the early morning - but come on, we all call it night unless you're one of those nutters like Mark Wahlberg.

Well, if you're one of those people who keeps waking up at around 4am, then deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity Lisa Artis is on hand to explain why - and it's not just because you're tired.

"We start to experience less deep sleep after around four to five hours," she told the Daily Star.

Meaning if you tend to go to sleep at around 11pm, then your body clock is waking you up hours later. But why is this?

"Sleep is guided by our internal clock or circadian rhythm. One of the most significant and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle," Artis explains.

If you wake up in the middle of the night it is often because the hormones running your body clock are all skewed (Getty Stock Image)

"Sleep is regulated by the levels of two hormones: melatonin and cortisol, which follow a regular 24-hour pattern. Melatonin helps you fall asleep, while cortisol aids in waking you up and keeping you alert."

So, basically you need to keep an eye on what increases or decreases the levels of these two hormones in your body... and, quelle surprise, tech like cell phones, TVs, and tablets can drastically affect your 'biological alarm cock'.

Knowledge of these 4am wake ups comes following research carried out by UK-based health insurance company Bupa that surveyed 4,000 Brits over the age of 18 and found that more than three-fifths of them wake up in the middle of the night. Claiming that 32 million Brits wake up at precisely 4.05am worrying about their health.

Anyway, there are a few things you can do to prevent waking up - Dr Mariyam H Malik, of Pall Mall Medical, has listed a few things you can do for a peaceful night sleep.

Hopefully these tips will get you sleeping and waking with a smile again (Getty Stock Image)

She suggested: "Keep a journal by your bedside and write down your worries before going to bed. This practice can help get your concerns out of your mind and onto paper, making it easier to let go of them temporarily.

"Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practising relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or meditation."

There are a few other things you can do including meditating or practicing mindfulness exercises before going to bed as itn helps to reduce anxiety.

One of the things you shouldn't be doing before bed is doomscrolling on your phone - in fact Malik even advises people to leave their devices outside the bedroom, adding: "Blue light from electronic devices can suppress melatonin production."

Hopefully, this will help you catch some z's. Night, night guys.