Why you’re waking up at 3am (and how to sleep through the night)
It’s 3am again. You’re wide awake—your mind racing, body restless, and the clock ticking louder with every passing minute. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many women in their 40s and 50s report waking up in the early hours and struggling to get back to sleep.
It’s frustrating, exhausting, and can start to impact everything from your energy to your mood and even your ability to think clearly during the day. But here’s the good news: there is a reason for those restless nights, and more importantly, there are things you can do about it.
Common Reasons You’re Waking at 3am
1. Hormonal Fluctuations
During perimenopause and menopause, your estrogen and progesterone levels begin to shift. These hormones play a key role in regulating your sleep cycle, mood, and body temperature. When they drop, sleep can become lighter, more fragmented, and harder to maintain through the night.
Estrogen also helps regulate melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. A drop in estrogen can therefore make it harder to fall, and stay, asleep.
2. Cortisol Spikes
Cortisol is your stress hormone. Ideally, it should be low at night and gradually rise in the early morning to help you wake up. But if you're under constant stress, your cortisol levels can remain elevated at night or spike too early, around 2–4am, causing you to wake suddenly and feel alert.
3. Blood Sugar Imbalances
A diet high in refined carbs or irregular eating patterns during the day can cause your blood sugar to crash overnight. This triggers the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which can jolt you awake around 3am.
4. Overactive Nervous System
Your nervous system may be stuck in “fight or flight” mode, especially if you're constantly multitasking, overcommitted, or feeling overwhelmed. A dysregulated nervous system doesn't just make falling asleep harder, it also prevents deep, restful sleep.
How to Sleep Through the Night: Practical Solutions
1. Balance Your Blood Sugar
- Eat balanced meals with protein, fibre, and healthy fats throughout the day.
- Avoid heavy sugar or alcohol before bed, which can disrupt your blood sugar and sleep.
- Consider a small, protein-rich bedtime snack (like almond butter on a rice cake) to prevent overnight dips.
2. Support Your Hormones Naturally
- Include magnesium-rich foods (like leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and bananas) to help regulate hormones and calm the nervous system.
- Try herbal support (e.g., ashwagandha, chaste tree, or passionflower), but consult your health practitioner first.
- Prioritise consistent sleep/wake times to support circadian rhythm.
3. Regulate Your Nervous System
- Practice gentle breathwork or meditation before bed.
- Create a calming evening routine: dim lights, turn off screens, and signal to your body that it's time to wind down.
- Try legs-up-the-wall yoga pose for 5–10 minutes to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
4. Reduce Cortisol Naturally
- Daily movement like walking, yoga or stretching helps regulate stress hormones.
- Avoid high-intensity workouts late at night, they can keep cortisol high and delay sleep.
- Journaling or “brain dumping” before bed can help reduce nighttime mental chatter.
When to Seek Support
If waking at 3am is happening more than a few times a week and it’s affecting your energy, mood, or wellbeing, it may be time to get support. Sleep disruptions during midlife are not something you have to just ‘push through’, and they’re often a sign that your body needs some deeper nourishment and attention.
Still tossing and turning at 3am? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.
If you'd like some support to help you sleep soundly, let's have a chat!