What causes older people to wake up at 3 a.m. — and should we be worried?

Waking up at 3 a.m. and being unable to fall back asleep is common, especially after age 60. Aging, habits, bodily signals: should we be worried or simply adjust our rhythm?

Waking up in the middle of the night, eyes wide open at 3 a.m., with the feeling that sleep will never return… Sound familiar? Don’t worry: this is a very common phenomenon, especially after age 60. But why does this particular time occur so often? Is it simply related to age… or a sign that an adjustment is needed? Let’s take a closer look, without making a big deal out of it.