Sleep expert explains two things to change if you wake up at 3am every morning

Sleep expert explains two things to change if you wake up at 3am every morningA range of experts have provided guidance on what Britons can do to help them get to sleep as surveys suggested that more and more Britons have problems with itCommentsNewsChristopher Sharp Trendswatch Reporter11:58, 11 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesA sleep expert has given some guidance on what do if you're waking up in the early hours (stock)(Image: Getty)A sleep expert has explained what two things to change in your life if you find yourself waking up at 3am every day.‌On average the NHS suggests that adults need around seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Although some people find themselves needing more shut-eye than others.‌It said: "However, age, health and personal circumstances affect how much sleep we need, plus some people naturally sleep more than others.”‌In recent years, a series of surveys have found some Britons are struggling to sleep, with one commissioned last year suggesting a third have problems even falling asleep. However, some people have a different problem, waking up in the middle of the night or the very early hours of the morning.Speaking on ITV’s Tonight programme sleep clinician from Resmed Joshua Piper recommended changing one’s sleep schedule.He explained: “I think it’s important to have a fixed wake up time. Get good exposure to, ideally, sunlight but you can also use things like daylight lamps. Having that behaviour on a regular basis, your brain’s very good at patterns, it starts to learn ‘Ah, this is wake up time’.”‌View 3 ImagesSurveys have suggested many Britons have trouble sleeping (stock)(Image: Getty)Joshua’s comments comes as people try and find effective ways to get to sleep, critical as the days get longer and the nights shorter.What’s more, Joshua isn’t the only clinician to comment on what can affect our ability to get to sleep with Dr Amir Khan suggesting that our habits can also impact the process.‌Posting a video on his Instagram acco...