Dr. Marita SchauchSpecial to the Valley NewsNighttime awakenings are a real scenario. You are sound asleep, and then you’re not. And many people find it almost impossible to go back to sleep. According to the Journal of Psychiatric Research, in a study of 8,937 people, 23% said they woke up at least once every night and more frequently after age 50.One of the biggest keys to health is a proper sleep cycle.The sleep cycle or circadian rhythm is affected by the amount of light people receive throughout the day and night. When they are exposed to natural light during the day, the brain gets the signal to be more alert and awake, and when night falls, the body registers the shifting of light and prepares for sleep by producing melatonin. Melatonin is a natural pineal gland ho
