Ep. 88 Why 70% of People Wake at 2–3 AM — And How to Sleep Through the Night
A Called & Curious conversation where faith, story, and brain science intertwine to help you live from the overflow.
Do you fall asleep just fine… but then bolt awake at 2 or 3 AM with your heart racing, your mind spiraling, and your body convinced something is wrong?
You are not alone — and there’s a real reason this keeps happening.
In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the surprising neuroscience, hormones, and nervous system patterns behind those middle-of-the-night wakeups. You’ll learn what your body is actually trying to tell you, why your brain loves drama at 2 AM, and the simple, doable habits that help you sleep deeper, longer, and calmer.
We’ll walk through:
✨ The “How Tired Are You Really?” quiz
✨ Why your cortisol spikes at the wrong time
✨ Why your logical brain turns off while your fear brain turns ON
✨ The 2–3 AM anxious wakeup cycle explained
✨ What actually helps
✨ Why we know what helps… and still do the cookie-dough-at-10-PM thing
✨ The ONE keystone habit to try this week
✨ What to do when you still wake up (the step-by-step guide)
✨ The warm-shower trick (yes, it works!)
✨ The Middle-of-the-Night Peeing PSA — with dignity
✨ And the spiritual truth that reshapes the whole narrative
If you’ve been waking up tired, overwhelmed, wired-but-exhausted, or stuck in the 2 AM spiral… this episode will feel like a deep breath.
And if you want access to the grounding Love Moves, sleepy-time resets, and nervous-system-soothing tools mentioned in this episode — they’re all inside The Brim, your peaceful library of mind-body-spirit rhythms.
→ Step into The Brim — your peaceful library of Love Moves, resets (and your Sleeping Pill), and rhythms that help your mind, body, and spirit exhale. Start HERE.
→ Need tonight’s help? Grab The Sleeping Pill Reset — a 6-minute bedtime rhythm to calm your nervous system, quiet your thoughts, and drift into rest. Sign up for The Weekly Pour below to get the free reset this week!
→ Get The Weekly Pour — a gentle, faith-rooted dose of encouragement, neuroscience, and next steps… poured straight into your inbox HERE.
→ Loved this topic? Catch the Snow Globe Episode — and learn why tiny movements create big peace. Listen HERE
Takeaway Quote to Share
“You’re not broken. You’re just tired — and tired is treatable.”
☕️ Whipped Cream on Top
Before you go, here are the habits we talked about today.
They’re all helpful, but don’t try to do all of them at once.
Research is really clear:
👉 We change through ONE step at a time.
👉 Write it down.
👉 Tell someone.
👉 Because it will NOT happen naturally.
Choose ONE of these for the next 5 days:
Morning light for 2–10 minutes
Dim the overhead lights at night
Stop eating 2–3 hours before bed
A cool bedroom
A grounding phrase
A 6-minute Sleepy Time Love Move Video
Sleeping Pill Reset (gentle stretches for bedtime)
Bedside Peace Neck & Shoulder Release (dim light or no light)
Pick one. Not all.
We build rhythms through progress, not pressure.
And if you want to tell me which one you chose, I would love to celebrate with you. 💛
📖 Scripture Highlights
“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for You alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”Psalm 4:8
When your cup is full, your crown is on —
and you can live in the overflow of God’s love every single day.
No pressure. No performance. Just peace.
Connect With The Curious:
The Weekly Pour Newsletter — pour a little peace into your inbox
The Stress Less Love Move — a 6-minute reset to calm your mind, body, and spirit
Say Hello: Got a story, question, or collaboration idea? I’d love to hear from you. Email calledandcurious.com