An insomnia specialist has cautioned people about the potential dangers of repeatedly waking between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., warning that it may signal underlying health issues.

A doctor has spoken openly about the risks associated with waking during this specific window, admitting that the pattern once “wrecked” his own life. While waking in the night is common—often due to needing the bathroom—regularly jolting awake between 2 and 3 a.m. could indicate that something deeper is going on.Dr. Eric Berg DC, who shares educational content online about health and wellness, has encouraged people to take note of when they wake up at night, not just how often.

Dr. Berg’s experience

In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Berg explained that cortisol—the body’s primary stress hormone—should normally be at its lowest point between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. However, for some people, cortisol actually spikes during this period, disrupting sleep and negatively affecting daily functioning.

He also pointed out that magnesium helps regulate cortisol levels, suggesting that sleep problems linked to early-morning waking may be connected to a deficiency. He advises anyone struggling with persistent sleep issues to consult their GP.

Describing himself as an “insomnia expert,” Dr. Berg revealed he battled severe sleep problems for over ten years. In his video, he asked viewers:
“How do you fall back asleep if you wake up between 2 and 3 a.m.? I dealt with this for more than a decade, and it was destroying my life.”

He added that the issue went far beyond brief awakenings. Some nights, he didn’t sleep at all, lying awake until morning. “It felt like torture,” he said.

Why that time matters

Dr. Berg later focused specifically on 2 a.m., explaining how the body’s circadian rhythm is meant to work. Normally, cortisol is lowest around 2 a.m. and peaks around 8 a.m. In his case, the cycle was reversed—he felt alert at night and exhausted in the morning.

Long-term sleep deprivation, he noted, has been linked to serious conditions including heart disease, dementia, and diabetes.

Ways to lower cortisol at night

Dr. Berg says there are strategies that may help reduce cortisol levels while sleeping and prevent those early-morning awakenings. One of the most important, he says, is magnesium.