Dr Amir Khan, frequently features on programmes like Good Morning Britain and Lorraine
Ever snap awake in the middle of the night, wide-eyed and stuck in a spiral of your own thoughts? A TV doctor has now shed light on why that might be – and it’ll probably take you by surprise.
Dr Amir Khan, who frequently features on programmes such as Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, took to Instagram to share his thoughts. While midnight alertness can feel stressful, he assured that it’s usually a natural bodily reaction. “Have you ever noticed that you fall asleep just fine and then suddenly you’re awake at 3am, staring at the ceiling, overthinking your entire life?” the doctor asked his followers.
“Well, there’s actually a biological reason for that. Around 2 to 4am, your body is in a very particular phase of its sleep cycle.
“Cortisol, your natural stress hormone, starts to rise in preparation for waking up. It’s completely normal. But if you’re already stressed, anxious, or running on empty, that small hormonal shift can be enough to tip you into wakefulness.
“At the same time, your brain is more vulnerable. During the night, especially in the early hours, blood sugar levels can dip slightly. If they drop too low, which is more likely if you’ve had alcohol, eaten very late, or are under chronic stress, your body releases adrenaline to compensate.”
This surge of adrenaline can suddenly wake you up, making your heart race or heightening your sense of alertness. At a time when there are no distractions, no other noises and pure quiet, the brain’s threat system may then intensify.
Therefore, what may appear as manageable tasks at 3pm can feel catastrophic at 3am. Dr Khan added that hormones can play a role in this, too, especially for those experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
In the video, he continued: “And poor sleep itself becomes part of the cycle. The more you worry about waking up, the more likely you are to wake up. Now, waking briefly in the night is actually normal. We all cycle through lighter sleep every 90 minutes.
“The problem isn’t waking up, it’s the anxiety about being awake. So gentle breathing, avoiding clock-watching and screens and keeping evenings calm and alcohol light can really help.
“So if you’re awake at 3am, it doesn’t mean you’re broken, it just means your biology is doing what biology does. And we just need to help it along a little bit.”
How to fall asleep faster
The NHS offers a wealth of online advice on healthy habits to help you sleep better and rest more. As part of this, it offers six key tips to improve your sleep, including:
- Have a good sleep routine (sleep hygiene)
- Relax, unwind and try meditation before sleep
- Try mindfulness for sleep
- Create the right sleep environment
- Do not force sleep
- Improve sleep through diet and exercise
For more information, visit the NHS website here.
