Do you find yourself waking up at 2 AM every morning?

 

Could This Simple Light Habit Finally Stop Your 2 AM Wake-Ups?

Have you ever found yourself wide awake at 2 in the morning, staring at the ceiling, your mind spinning with I have to get up for work in a couple of hours why am I awake?

Maybe you fall asleep easily enough, but then – bam – you’re wide awake in the middle of the night like someone flipped a switch in your brain.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

So many people struggle with this exact pattern, and unfortunately, most of the advice out there is pointing them in the wrong direction.

We’re told to try melatonin, download sleep apps, give up caffeine, or spend hundreds on new mattresses and supplements.

But the truth is, this may not be a “sleep” problem at all.

It is a light problem.

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The Real Root of 2AM Wake-Ups

I have had so many clients say to me, I’ve tried everything – earlier dinners, no screens at night, calming teas, you name it.

Nothing worked.

I fall asleep, then like clockwork, I wake up in the early hours of the morning. My heart will race, anxiety creeps in and I lie there wondering what is wrong.

This is where I come in and say…..

You are so out of sync with natural light.

You are spending you days in artificial lighting… then exposing yourself to bright overhead lights and screens right up until bedtime.

Your brain is confused about what time it really was.

No wonder you are waking up!

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Your Internal Clock Runs on Light

We all have an internal clock – your circadian rhythm – that tells your body when to be awake, alert, and when to rest deeply. And this clock isn’t set by the time on your phone. It’s set by light.- natural light.

Think of how our ancestors lived: They rose with the sun, spent their days outdoors under natural light, and wound down with the dim glow of a fire. Their bodies knew exactly what time it was based on the quality and intensity of the light around them.

Now? We wake in the dark, spend our days inside under fluorescent lights, and then bathe ourselves in the artificial glow of screens all evening.

We’re living in constant twilight during the day… and artificial daylight at night.

That’s the real reason so many of us are waking up at 3AM, anxious and wired. Our circadian rhythms are confused and misaligned.

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What Should Be Happening at 3AM (But Isn’t)

If your body were in sync, here’s what it would be doing at 3AM:

• You’d be in your deepest stage of sleep — healing, repairing, and restoring

• Melatonin (your sleep hormone) would be at its highest level

• Core body temperature would be at its lowest

• Cortisol (your alertness hormone) would be barely detectable

But when your light environment is off, your brain gets the wrong signals:

• Melatonin gets blocked

• Core temperature doesn’t drop

• Cortisol might start to rise too early

That’s when you wake up – too early, too alert, and out of sync.

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Why Light Timing Matters So Much

The science is crystal clear.

Just sitting in regular room light (yes, even a 100-lux lamp) before bed can suppress melatonin by up to 90%.

And blue light – the kind that comes from your phone or computer – is even worse. Just one hour of blue light in the evening can shut down your melatonin almost completely.

On the flip side, getting bright natural light in the morning (even for 10 minutes) helps reset your internal clock, encouraging melatonin to kick in at the right time later that evening.

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The Simple, 24-Hour Light Reset Strategy

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life. Just gently shift how you interact with light throughout the day. Here’s what works:

☀️ Morning: Get Outside As Soon As You Wake Up- Do Not Turn On Any Lights

• Step outside with no sunglasses and let the light hit your eyes (even on cloudy days). Being out during sunrise and UVA rise is powerful, it even helps with mental health issues

• 10-15 minutes is enough to signal to your brain that it’s daytime.

• This helps your cortisol rise gently and sets the stage for melatonin to peak later in the evening.

☀️ Midday: Take a Sun Break

• Around noon, try to step outside for another 10–20 minutes.

• This not only supports vitamin D and mood, but also charges your cells with healing red and infrared light.

🌇 Evening: Wind Down with Nature’s Cues

• Step outside again during the hour before sunset.

• This gentle, orange-toned light tells your body that the day is ending, which supports melatonin production.

• After sunset, dim your lights and avoid screens or use blue-blocking glasses.

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5 Simple Changes You Can Try Tonight

1. Dim lights after 7PM
   Switch off overheads. Use soft, warm bulbs or salt lamps instead.

2. Digital sunset
   Try turning off screens 90 minutes before bed. If that’s hard, wear blue-blocking glasses.

3. Morning light exposure
   Get outside for at least 5–10 minutes soon after waking. It’s the most powerful way to reset your clock.

4. No late-night meals
   Finish eating 3 hours before bed. Digesting food late can trigger internal “wake-up” signals.

5. Protect your eyes at night
   If you must use screens or be in bright environments after dark, wear circadian-safe glasses check my website for different brands and coupon codes

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Your Body Isn’t Broken

You don’t have a sleep disorder. You’re not “bad at sleeping.”

You’re just living in an environment that doesn’t match what your body evolved to expect.

But the good news is: you can get back in sync.

When you start living in rhythm with natural light, your body responds quickly. Your hormones balance. Your sleep deepens. You wake up feeling refreshed — not groggy and frustrated.

And yes — those 3AM wake-ups? They can become a thing of the past.

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Ready to shift things?
Join my 7 Day Online Challenge to Cure Insomnia Naturally. Click here to learn more

Your body will thank you.

Your sleep will transform.

And your entire system will begin to remember what it feels like to truly rest again.

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