causes of insomnia

Why am I waking up at 3am?

Have you ever woken up at 3 am, heart pounding, sweating and suddenly wide awake? Only to continue to lie awake wondering if and when you might fall back asleep, and wondering what caused you to wake so suddenly.

Insomnia (including trouble falling asleep, waking up throughout the night, or early morning awakening) is a symptom of an underlying imbalance.

Instead of relying on sleep aid medications (which were found to be metabolized slower in women after being on the market!), we have a different approach to resolving insomnia at the root cause. Each person’s reason for insomnia may be different – 10 different people might have ten different reasons that they wake up at 3am.  Finding and treating those root causes requires a whole body, personalized approach.

Here are some possible root causes of waking up at 3am:
image of bed with text over image root causes of insomnia -Blood Sugar Imbalance -Hormone Imbalance -Cortisol -HPA Axis Dysfunction -Melatonin Production -Dysbiosis and Inflammation -Sleep Apnea -Environmental Toxins -Leaky Gut -Nutrient Deficiency

HPA axis dysfunction 

HPA axis stands for hypothalamic, pituitary, and adrenal axis. Your adrenal glands secrete cortisol in response to signals from your brain (hypothalamus and pituitary). In an idealistic situation we want to see your cortisol levels higher in the am (to get you up and ready for the day!) and lower at night so that you can fall asleep. If your cortisol is high before bed, you’ll have trouble falling asleep. If your cortisol does not stay low overnight, or if cortisol starts spiking early, you’ll likely have middle of the night awakening. The brain is very perceptive and it also likes patterns so if you’re subconsciously preparing for the next days’ stress (or if you had been exposed to stressful situations in the recent past), this will lead to HPA axis dysfunction and insomnia.
 

Melatonin imbalance 

The next thing about cortisol is that cortisol and melatonin work oppositely of each other. Cortisol suppresses melatonin during the day and then melatonin suppresses cortisol  levels in the evening and at night. But, if cortisol stays high before bed, your body won’t be functionally optimizing melatonin.

What else suppresses melatonin:

There’s light in your room at night. The best sleeping environment is a near pitch black room. This includes exposure to blue light from devices 1-2 hours before bed.
Or,
You’re not getting enough light during day. While blue light from devices may have the most pronounced suppressant effect on melatonin, recent studies show that full spectrum light throughout the day can counterbalance blue light exposure. As we head into fall and winter months, using a light box for 30-60 minutes in the morning can help to reset melatonin cycles.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is the most prevalent sleep disorder. Sleep apnea is also a common comorbidity of Hashimoto’s thyroid disease. Studies have found that 25-35% of people with hypothyroidism also have sleep apnea and that sleep apnea is a risk factor for Hashimoto’s.

Leaky gut 

Leaky gut is a common root cause of inflammation. Just under the lining of the intestinal cells is the vast majority of the body’s immune system. When this gets activated, the inflammation does not just stay in the gut, it circulates throughout causing cortisol imbalances, and systemic symptoms. Newer studies show that anxiety, depression, and insomnia are actually disorders of inflammation.

Our favorite Gut Health Rebalance supplement can be taken as a powder in water, or added to your morning smoothie.

Gut Health Rebalance

Gut Health Rebalance

Optimal gut health is only one scoop away
$75.00
sleep support

Sleep Support

Sleep deep without the “sleep hangover”
$29.00
magnesium combo

Magnesium Combo

Three forms of highly absorbable magnesium in one capsule.
$37.00

Blood sugar imbalance

Having an unbalanced plate without fiber, protein, and healthy fat can lead to a cycle of blood sugar spikes, then insulin spikes, then blood sugar drops. When blood sugar drops, your body’s protective mechanism is to secrete cortisol to bring your blood sugar back up.
Insulin resistance can also lead to after dinner food cravings and later evening snacking.  Eating at night raises body temperature, which makes it harder to fall asleep.


Hormone imbalance

Estrogen/serotonin/melatonin are all related. Estrogen works throughout the body, including the brain. In the brain, estrogen can regulate serotonin. Serotonin is used by the body to make melatonin. Balancing hormones at Root is a multi-layered approach.

To balance hormones, we balance blood sugar by eating protein/fat/fiber at each meal, supplement important nutrients, and manage stress and sleep with some of the tips in this article. 

A New Way to Access Functional Medicine

Order your own labs and get the support you need. With Root Access, taking charge of your health through a root-cause, data-driven approach has never been easier. 

Become an Access Member

Related Articles

hands harvesting spinach leaves

How to Increase Ferritin Levels

Targeted diet and lifestyle strategies to increase ferritin levels to optimize wellbeing and prevent iron deficiency anemia so you can feel your best.

optimal vitamin d levels

Vitamin D levels: What is optimal and how much do you need?

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to many problems system-wide and is a huge cause of fatigue, immune issues, joint problems, and mood disturbances. This article reviews what levels of vitamin d are considered optimal and how much vitamin d to supplement.