Waking up at 3am? Here’s how cortisol disrupt your sleep (and what to do about it)
If you’ve been waking up around 3am—mind racing, wide awake, and unsure why—you’re not alone.
I’ve been there too.
And I know how frustrating it feels when your body just won’t settle, even after a full day and a calm evening.In this post we’ll break down what estrogen dominance really means, what symptoms it causes, what triggers it, and most importantly how you can naturally restore balance to feel your best.
While poor sleep habits or a noisy mind can absolutely play a role, there’s often a deeper, more physiological reason behind this kind of sleep disruption.
In many cases, it’s connected to your cortisol rhythm—and how your nervous system is coping with the demands of your day.
Understanding Cortisol and Sleep
Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone, but it also plays a huge role in your sleep–wake cycle.
Ideally, cortisol rises in the morning to help you feel alert and focused, and then gradually drops by evening so melatonin can rise and support deep sleep.
But this natural rhythm is sensitive.
Stress, emotional overload, erratic eating patterns, and even healthy habits like overtraining or under-eating can cause cortisol to stay elevated into the night—or spike too early in the morning.e imbalance between estrogen and progesterone that creates problems.
I see this a lot in the women I work with.
They’re showing up, doing their best—working, moving their bodies, eating well—but their bodies are stuck in a state of alertness. The result?
Light sleep, restless nights, and that classic 3am wake-up.
And What About Waking Up to Pee?
If you’re waking up during the night to use the bathroom—even though you didn’t drink that much before bed—this could still be about cortisol.
When cortisol is high at night, it can block vasopressin, the hormone that normally tells your kidneys to hold onto water while you sleep.
So your body keeps producing urine… and your bladder wakes you up.
This is something I used to overlook in myself, until I realised that my nervous system—not my bladder—was actually the one asking for attention.
While estrogen dominance isn’t the direct cause of conditions like PCOS or endometriosis, it is closely linked to them.
For example, estrogen encourages the growth of the uterine lining. If progesterone is too low to counterbalance this, it can lead to excessive tissues buildup, increasing the risk of issues like endometriosis, fibroids, and ovarian cysts.
Why Am I Waking Up at Night? Common Signs of Cortisol Imbalance
Waking between 2–4am and struggling to fall back asleep
Feeling tired in the morning but wired at night
Light, unrefreshing sleep even after 7–8 hours
Mood swings, low patience, sugar cravings
Eating too little, skipping meals, or pushing through workouts without enough fuel
These signs aren’t random—they’re your body communicating with you.
When your system feels under pressure or out of rhythm, it does what it can to keep up. And sometimes, that shows up at night.
3 Gentle Ways to Regulate Cortisol Naturally
If this sounds like you, here are three simple practices I come back to again and again—for myself and for my clients.
Get outside first thing in the morning - Within an hour of waking, step into the daylight. Morning light tells your brain it’s time to be alert—and it helps reset your internal clock, so cortisol rises at the right time and tapers off properly by evening.
Eat regular, balanced meals - Cortisol loves to step in when your blood sugar crashes. Eating enough—and eating consistently—helps your body feel safe. Prioritise protein, healthy fats, and fibre to keep blood sugar stable throughout the day.
Create a wind-down ritual you look forward to - A warm shower. Legs up the wall. Reading something light. Journaling.
Whatever helps you shift gears from doing to resting—make space for it.
Sleep is easier when your body knows it’s okay to let go.
Magnesium: A Gentle Tool to Support Sleep and Stress
If you’re already focusing on the basics and still finding sleep tricky, magnesium might be a helpful next step.
It’s one of the most common deficiencies I see—especially in women who are stressed, active, or navigating hormonal shifts. Magnesium supports nervous system regulation, muscle relaxation, hormone balance, and deeper rest.
You’ll find it in real foods like:
Leafy greens
Pumpkin seeds and almonds
Cacao
Sardines, salmon, and grass-fed beef
We always need to start with the foundations: nutrition, lifestyle, rhythm, rest.
Only when those are in place, and if extra support is needed, a supplement might be useful—and even then, it should be chosen carefully and intentionally.
I often use magnesium bisglycinate for its calming effects, or citrate if constipation is also a concern.
Final Thoughs
Waking up at 3am isn’t just a sleep problem.
It’s often your body whispering (or yelling): “I’m not feeling safe right now.”
But the good news is—your body wants to come back into balance.
And you don’t need to overhaul everything to support that.
Start with light.
Eat enough.
Let your body exhale.
And if you’re feeling ready to dive deeper—with personalised guidance that looks at your hormones, lifestyle, nutrition, and nervous system—I’d love to walk that path with you.
Because real rest isn’t just about sleep.
It’s about coming home to yourself.
