Why You Can't Sleep at Night But Can't Wake Up in the Morning (The Cortisol Problem)
You can't fall asleep at night. Your mind won't shut off. You're exhausted but wired. When you finally do sleep, you wake up at 2 or 3 AM and can't get back to sleep.
Then morning comes. The alarm goes off. You feel like you've been hit by a truck. You can't get out of bed. Coffee doesn't help. You're a zombie until 10 or 11 AM.
This sounds like two separate problems. It's not.
It's one problem: your cortisol rhythm is broken.
What Cortisol Is Supposed To Do
Cortisol is your primary stress hormone, produced by your adrenal glands. But it's not just about stress. Cortisol has a natural daily rhythm that governs your entire sleep-wake cycle.
Here's how it's supposed to work:
6-8 AM: Cortisol peaks. This is what wakes you up naturally, gives you energy to start the day, gets you out of bed without hitting snooze five times.
Throughout the day: Cortisol gradually declines. You maintain steady energy but you're not wired. You feel alert and functional.
Evening (8-10 PM): Cortisol ...
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