Why Do I Keep Waking Up at 3 a.m.? Breathing & Hormones

I often find that the things I write about in these blogs are the things I'm exploring in my own life too. Recently, I've found myself waking in the early hours of the morning more than usual. Not every night, but enough to make me curious. As someone who spends a lot of time teaching about breathing, sleep and nervous system regulation, I started asking myself the same question many people ask when they find themselves staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m.

Why am I awake?

Like most things when it comes to health, there usually isn't one simple answer. Sleep is influenced by lots of different systems working together, including our breathing, hormones, nervous system, blood sugar regulation, stress levels, lifestyle habits and overall health. That's why I think it's important to become curious about these wake ups rather than immediately assuming there must be one single cause.

One area that I don't think gets talked about enough is the relationship between breathing and hormones. Many people are surprised to learn that breathing isn't static. It doesn't stay exactly the same throughout our lives and, for women especially, it doesn't even stay the same throughout the month.

Throughout the menstrual cycle, hormones naturally rise and fall and these hormonal shifts can influence the way we breathe. Progesterone, which rises after ovulation, acts as a natural respiratory stimulant, meaning we tend to breathe a little more during the second half of the cycle. This can affect carbon dioxide levels, influence how we feel, and may be one reason some women notice they feel slightly more breathless, more aware of their breathing, or that exercise simply feels different at certain points in the month.

Many women notice changes in their sleep too. They may find themselves sleeping deeply one week and waking more easily the next. Some feel calmer and more resilient during certain phases of their cycle, whilst others feel more anxious, restless or sensitive to stress. Hormones are rarely the whole explanation, but they are often an important piece of the puzzle and one that is frequently overlooked.

The same is true during perimenopause and menopause. As oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate and eventually decline, many women notice significant changes in both sleep and breathing. They may find themselves waking more frequently, feeling hotter during the night, struggling to get back to sleep, or suddenly experiencing sleep difficulties they've never had before. What fascinates me is that breathing and hormones don't operate independently of one another. Hormones influence breathing, breathing influences the nervous system, the nervous system influences sleep, and sleep influences hormones. It's all connected.

Then there is the breathing itself. Whilst we're asleep, our breathing continues to influence the quality of our rest. If breathing becomes disrupted through mouth breathing, snoring, airway restriction or inefficient breathing habits, the brain may briefly wake us in order to restore balance. These awakenings can be so short that we don't even remember them, but they can still leave us feeling tired and unrefreshed the next day.

A few questions I often encourage people to consider are whether they wake with a dry mouth, whether they snore, whether they wake feeling tired despite spending enough hours in bed, and whether their sleep has changed alongside changes in hormones, stress levels or overall health. These little clues don't tell us everything, but they can often point us in the right direction.

Then, of course, there is the nervous system. I often say that the nervous system doesn't suddenly become a different nervous system because we've climbed into bed. If we've spent the day rushing, overthinking, managing responsibilities, looking after everyone else and pushing through exhaustion, some of that activation can follow us into the night. The body may be physically tired, but the nervous system may still be operating as though it needs to stay alert.

There is also cortisol, often referred to as our waking hormone. Cortisol naturally begins to rise during the early hours of the morning as part of a healthy circadian rhythm. This is one of the things that helps us wake feeling alert and ready for the day. However, if hormones are fluctuating, blood sugar drops overnight, or the nervous system is already carrying a heavier load, that normal rise in cortisol can sometimes contribute to an earlier wake up than we'd like.

What I've learned, both personally and professionally, is that sleep is rarely about one thing. It's usually a conversation between multiple systems in the body. Breathing, hormones, nervous system regulation, stress levels, recovery, lifestyle habits and overall health all influence one another.

So if you regularly find yourself waking at 3 a.m., it may be worth looking beyond the clock and becoming curious about what else might be happening. Has your breathing changed? Are your hormones shifting? Is your nervous system carrying more than you realise? Are there lifestyle factors that could be influencing your sleep quality?

The good news is that many of these factors can be supported. Understanding what's happening beneath the surface is often the first step towards sleeping better, feeling more energised during the day, and working with your body rather than feeling as though you're constantly fighting against it.

If youd like to learn more, I run workshops throughout the year for functional breathing & deep dive breathwork.

Mel

P.S. Change your breath, Change your life