It's cortisol. I can feel the stress hormone working through my body, starting first in my mind with synaptic connections firing, and soon all cylinders are wide awake and focusing on upcoming events for the day. I roll over and gently press my finger to the face of my phone. I gave up lighted clock faces years ago to increase my sleep hygiene by making my room as dark as possible. By gently tapping the face plate, only the time will illuminate, not the entire phone—3:41 am.
Cortisol is a stress hormone. [1] One of its primary purposes is to aid our bodies through the circadian cycle by gently waking us up, ideally as the sun rises. When we experience too much stress or have a circadian rhythm that is out of sync with the sun and moon, the result is a horrible night's sleep. I've referred to my sleep issues ad nauseam on these pages, so I apologize for another blog regarding the subject.
Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system causing our adrenal glands to pump out cortisol. [2] A little bit allows us to gently wake up in the glow of a new day; too much and our bodies slide dangerously toward "fight or flight" mode.
My morning burst of energy falls somewhere in between. My heart rate increases, synaptic nerves fire on high alert, and muscle tendons become tense. I could run for miles or fight any demon the residual of my fading dreams might conjure into existence. I will run or fight depending on which direction the threat emerges (at least it feels that way).
Unfortunately, the battle isn't one of demons or marathons but of hopes, concerns, wishes, or dreams yet fulfilled. The excess energy of adrenaline and cortisol leaves me feeling anxious and irritable as my body breaks down the surplus stores. [3]
During the lockdowns of COVID-19, most people felt these residual effects of cortisol. The nagging nervous energy is like a battle getting ready to rage. However, the struggle with a microscopic enemy isn't the same as a visible opponent, and when the front-line command is to lay on the couch and do nothing compounds the effects. So is there little wonder why airline passenger incidents and road rages have increased dramatically in many countries?
Adrenaline and cortisol are the energy of action, and our initial assessment is often to try and mute the signals by instigating various calming interventions. [4] Our bodies are poised for attack; the best way to reduce these feelings is by taking some action to reduce the flood of cortisol and adrenaline in the body. I prefer to use this time for writing if I don't fall back to sleep; however, I often dream of getting up to exercise, organizing the kitchen drawers, or of cleaning the hall closet. All are excellent choices to reduce the cortisol in my system. I try to avoid short-term fixes such as procrastination (as I lay in bed), food (insulin is the enemy of cortisol), or alcohol (I don't drink anyway), as these only dull rather than utilize the excess energy. [5]
It's likely just the cortisol as I lay toasty warm in bed; however, my best self is the person I think I could be if I accomplished all I dream about doing at 3:30 am.
Written November 3, 2020
Update: Today (November 14, 2020), the Wall Street Journal published an article by Lane Florsheim entitled Why Mark Wahlberg Wakes Up at 3:30 a.m. So I’m in good company. Although I suspect Mark gets out of bed. :)
References:
[1] McGovern, S. (2018). PDF "OPEX - Nourishment". Scottsdale, AZ 85260. p.12.
[2] IBID p.14.
[3] Holmes, K. (2020, September 22). Understanding Anxiety: Your Body is Ready to Perform. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/understanding-anxiety-autonomic-nervous-system/
[4] IBID
[5] IBID