3 things that were destroying my sleep — and none of them were my kids. 💛
1️⃣ Cortisol at night — your stress hormone is supposed to be low, but if you're running on adrenaline all day, it doesn't drop the way it should. That's why you're exhausted but can't wind down.
2️⃣ Waking at 3am — this is actually a blood sugar + cortisol spike. Your body sounds an alarm when blood sugar drops, and the racing thoughts? That's just your brain catching the wave.
3️⃣ Doom scrolling before bed — it's not just the screen, it's the content. Anxiety-inducing content keeps your nervous system on alert even as you're trying to sleep.
Once I understood this, I stopped blaming myself for being a bad sleeper. Knowledge is everything.
Save this 💛 Comment SLEEP if you want my full nighttime routine.
From my own experience dealing with restless nights, I found that identifying the root causes of sleep disruption made a huge difference. For instance, cortisol is our stress hormone that ideally should drop at night to help us relax and fall asleep. But when stress and adrenaline linger all day, that drop fails to happen. I noticed I was often exhausted yet unable to wind down, which was frustrating until I realized it was a cortisol imbalance. Another common pattern I experienced was waking up consistently around 3 AM. This isn’t just random; it’s your body reacting to a combination of blood sugar dips and rising cortisol. When your blood sugar drops, your body triggers an alarm that jolts you awake, often accompanied by racing thoughts as your brain responds to the physiological stress. Lastly, I had the habit of doom scrolling on my phone before bed. It’s not just the blue light disrupting melatonin production; it’s also the anxiety-provoking content that keeps your nervous system in a heightened state. Switching off screens earlier and choosing calming activities before bedtime significantly improved my sleep quality. By understanding these factors and adjusting my habits, I stopped blaming myself for poor sleep and took control. If you’re struggling with similar issues, consider tracking your stress and eating patterns, and develop a calming pre-sleep routine. Small changes can lead to big improvements in your nightly rest and overall well-being.