Why does 3 AM seem to have a standing appointment with women in midlife?

You fall asleep just fine, but somewhere around 3:00 your eyes open and suddenly your brain is ready to discuss tomorrow's schedule, your mother, the kids, the email you forgot to answer, and possibly something embarrassing you said in 2009.

It's easy to assume this must be hormones. Or cortisol. Or blood sugar. And while any of those may be part of the conversation, waking up at 3 AM isn't a diagnosis and your hormones don't sleep alone.

In this episode of The Michele Broad Show, we're looking at what may actually be behind those middle-of-the-night awakenings, including the changes of perimenopause and menopause, stress and cortisol, alcohol, blood sugar and metabolic health, sleep apnea, and the everyday demands your body carries into bed with you.

We'll also talk about why the better question may not be, "Why do I wake up at 3 AM?" but rather, "What has changed that makes it harder for my body to stay asleep or get back to sleep, the way it once did?"

And before you create a 23-step bedtime routine or diagnose yourself from the clock, I'll show you how to become a 3 AM detective for one week and begin looking for the patterns that may be hiding inside your own story.

Because one night is a night.

A repeated pattern is information.

And the more you understand the information your body is giving you, the better questions you can ask and the better decisions you can make.

Stop guessing. Start understanding.