What are the common misunderstandings about waking in the night?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"I wake in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep" is a complaint that grows with age, and one of the most frequent sleep questions on forums in every country. Here we draw on the sleep guide published by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) and on the general view in sleep medicine.
What to consider
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sleep cycle | Deep sleep and light sleep (REM) alternate in cycles of about 90 minutes. Waking is most likely at the join between cycles |
| Effect of age | Less deep sleep and more waking is a natural change. The sleep you need also shortens (around 6 hours is generally described as enough for older people) |
| Main causes of waking in the night | Alcohol before bed, caffeine, needing to urinate at night, snoring or breathing pauses, bedroom temperature, light and noise, stress, spending too long in bed |
| If you wake | Do not look at the clock; if you are not asleep within 15–20 minutes, get out of bed (sit quietly in a dark room and return when sleepy) |
| When to see a doctor | Three or more nights a week, for three months or more, with daytime sleepiness or other problems (the usual definition of insomnia) |
- The MHLW *Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023* [健康づくりのための睡眠ガイド2023] recommends not spending longer in bed than you need, and that older people do not spend more than 8 hours in bed. The longer you are in bed, the more light sleep and waking you get.
- Needing to urinate at night is one of the main causes of waking, and can improve if you review fluids, alcohol and caffeine before bed. If it happens often, see a urologist (泌尿器科, hinyōkika).
[Verify] Check the wording of the Sleep Guide 2023 and the definition of insomnia (Japanese Society of Sleep Research).
Misunderstanding 1｜Normal is eight hours straight through
Brief waking is within the normal range. If you can fall asleep again, there is no problem. Worrying about the "break" itself makes it harder to sleep.
Misunderstanding 2｜Go to bed early to sleep longer
When time in bed exceeds the sleep you need, sleep gets shallower and waking increases. Go to bed once you are sleepy.
Misunderstanding 3｜Check the time on your phone when you wake
Looking at the clock brings the panic of "only X hours left", and the light wakes you further. Keep clocks out of sight. The rule is not to spend awake time in bed.
Misunderstanding 4｜It's my age; nothing can be done
Age plays a part, but alcohol, caffeine, the bedroom and time in bed can all be changed. Snoring, breathing pauses and frequent night-time urination are matters for a doctor.
Misunderstanding 5｜An over-the-counter sleep aid solves it
Over-the-counter sleep aids in Japan (睡眠改善薬, suimin kaizen-yaku, sold at drugstores and based on antihistamines) are for temporary insomnia and not recommended for continued use. Insomnia lasting three months or more is a matter for a doctor.
---
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, *Sleep Guide for Health Promotion 2023* [健康づくりのための睡眠ガイド2023]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001181265.pdf
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, e-Health Net, "Insomnia" [不眠症]
https://www.e-healthnet.mhlw.go.jp/information/heart/k-02-001.html
- Japanese Society of Sleep Research, "Diagnosis and therapy of sleep disorders" [睡眠障害の診断と治療]
https://jssr.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
Sources
Tell us if this has changed
Approved contributions keep the contributor's name, shown in five languages.
Related questions
Other languages：日本語 ／ 简体中文 ／ 繁體中文 ／ 한국어
Value Village is not a government body. Always confirm procedures on the official site.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site.