Feb 17, 2026
3 min read
Knowing what to do when you wake up early is the key to sleep
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Eyes around the world flying wide open every night at three in the morning.It's quite a phenomenon - not 1:00 or 4:00, but this inappropriately early (or late) hour.
If you are in this time, you will experience the sensation of your brain suddenly racing with thoughts of what you need to do, things you have forgotten, or unpleasant memories that you think you have long forgotten, and no signs of wanting to go back to sleep.Courtneyrose Chung, clinical director of My Denver Therapy in the US, says this wake-up time is very common and describes it as a "perfect storm of biology and stress response".the body and brain during these times can help to respond more effectively,” he explains.
The average UK adult sleeps just three nights a week.But for many women, this can take months or even years because they haven't been sleeping properly.Courtneyrose reveals why.
What makes us wake up at 3 am?
Courtneyrose says that at 3 a.m., our bodies enter a natural "circadian rhythm," where we transition from deep sleep to light REM sleep, which can make it more likely that we'll wake up.
"It's a natural window of vulnerability," she says."Your body shifts gears, and if there's stress or anxiety, it's likely to throw you out of sleep."
Our cortisol levels naturally wake us up in the morning and prepare us for the day.However, Corteneros says, when we're stressed, our bodies may release cortisol earlier than normal — early in the morning, for example.
“Your brain interprets rising cortisol levels as a sign that there is danger,” she notes."He starts looking for trouble even if there isn't any."
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We may worry about things we did or didn't do the day before, or about a stressful meeting or event coming up.
Our brain works differently in the dark
Anxiety in the middle of the night is worse.After our brain starts to crash at 3 o'clock, it is very difficult to go back to sleep.
"The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for thinking and understanding, is mostly asleep during these hours," explains Courtneyrose."At this point, the fear and emotion of your brain, the amygdala, wakes up and runs the show."
Trampa do sono-effort
The more nervous you are about waking up at 3am, the harder it will be to find.This is because we release more stress hormones, which keep our nervous system alert and awake.
Fidgeting is a sleep habit that experts recommend avoiding.Instead, go to the kitchen, make a cup (decaffeinated tea) or drink a glass of water.Turn on the low light and read a book (but not turn the pages).This will help your brain relax enough to feel tired again and fall asleep again.
“Stop thinking of waking up as an emergency and start thinking of it as a temporary state that will pass so your nervous system can finally rest,” says Courtneyros."The goal is to reconnect your bed with rest, not rumination. When you're really sleepy, go back to bed."
scroll before bed
We all know that we shouldn't turn on our phones before bed.Blue light inhibits the production of melatonin, a hormone important for sleep.
This constant stimulation causes our brain to not rest even at night, making us more prone to light sleep and awakening.
Kat Storr has been a digital journalist for over 15 years after starting her career at Sky News, where she covered everything from world events to royal babies and celebrity deaths.After going freelance eight years ago, she now focuses on women's health and fitness content and writes for a number of UK publications.
From perimenopause to the latest fitness trends, Kate loves to research and write about it all. She enjoys trying any fitness challenge and talks to experts about health issues that affect people every day.
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