Resources:

Sleep OS Hormones → https://thelongevityvault.com/sleep-os/hormones/

Subscribe for more evidence-based guides on sleep in midlife and beyond → https://thelongevityvault.substack.com

“I Take 5mg of Melatonin — Why Do I Still Wake Up at 3 AM?”

Many adults turn to melatonin after years of restless nights—only to find that it helps them fall asleep but not stay asleep. This episode reframes melatonin not as a simple sleep switch, but as a hormone with precise circadian and metabolic effects that depend on dose, timing, and age.

Drawing on recent research and a real-world case, it shows why bedtime dosing, “extra-strength” formulations, and late dinners can all undermine melatonin’s natural rhythm. You’ll see how one man’s 3 a.m. awakenings resolved not by taking more, but by using less—aligned with his body’s biological night and clearance rate.

Key Points

Most adults take melatonin at bedtime, missing its true circadian window by several hours.

Over-the-counter doses (3–10 mg) often exceed physiological needs 10–100x, lingering into morning.

Older adults metabolize melatonin more slowly, extending its effects into waking hours.

Late-evening meals overlap with peak melatonin, reducing insulin sensitivity and glucose control.

Adjusting both dose and timing—not escalating them—can restore sleep continuity within weeks.

Listen for:How physiological dosing and circadian timing can restore sleep architecture without over-reliance on supplements—and why melatonin’s broader metabolic effects matter for long-term health.

Read the full article: “I Take 5mg of Melatonin — Why Do I Still Wake Up at 3 AM?”

Learn more inside Sleep OS Hormones → https://thelongevityvault.com/sleep-os/hormones/

Resources:

Sleep OS Hormones → https://thelongevityvault.com/sleep-os/hormones/

Subscribe for more evidence-based guides on sleep in midlife and beyond → https://thelongevityvault.substack.com

“Why Can’t I Stay Asleep Longer Than 5-6 Hours?”

Most people optimize sleep onset—earlier bedtime, caffeine changes, darker rooms—yet still wake around 2–3 a.m. and drift until morning.

This short episode explains why the issue isn’t getting to sleep; it’s what happens to your sleep architecture in the second half of the night.

Key points:

Cholinergic–GABAergic imbalance can push premature REM and fragment continuity.

Inadequate daytime adenosine buildup shortens the second half of the night.

Misaligned melatonin offset (often from evening light) destabilizes early-morning sleep.

Listen for:How the first half of the night carries more deep sleep, the second half becomes more REM, and how fragmentation in that progression impairs glymphatic clearing, memory, and cognitive resilience.

Read the full article:

“Why Can’t I Stay Asleep Longer Than 5-6 Hours?”

Resources:

Sleep OS Hormones → https://thelongevityvault.com/sleep-os/hormones/

Subscribe for more evidence-based guides on sleep in midlife and beyond → https://thelongevityvault.substack.com

Using Melatonin? Here’s How It Can Affect Your Blood Sugar Levels

Many adults use melatonin purely as a sleep aid, unaware that it’s also a hormone with broad metabolic effects. What helps you fall asleep can, under certain conditions, make it harder to maintain stable blood sugar—especially when taken close to meals or in higher doses.

This short episode explains how melatonin interacts with insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, why timing and genetics determine whether it helps or hinders glucose control, and how to adjust your use so it supports both sleep and metabolic health.

Key points:

• Human studies show that supplemental melatonin can reduce insulin secretion or sensitivity, leading to higher nighttime glucose levels.

• The effect depends heavily on timing—melatonin taken within a few hours of eating overlaps with digestion and sends the body mixed metabolic signals.

• About 30 percent of individuals carry an MTNR1B genetic variant that makes pancreatic cells more sensitive to melatonin’s “stop insulin” signal.

• Lower, physiologic doses (0.1–0.3 mg) taken after the digestive window—rather than standard 3–10 mg doses—are less likely to impair glucose control.

Listen for:

How melatonin’s hormone signaling extends beyond sleep, how meal timing and genetics shape its blood-sugar effects, and simple adjustments that let it work with your metabolism instead of against it.

If 3 a.m. wake-ups have become the new normal, explore how hormonal and metabolic support can help your body sustain sleep—not just signal it.

Learn more inside Sleep OS Hormones → https://thelongevityvault.com/sleep-os/hormones/