Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Stop Waking Up at 3AM (Fix This Before Bed)

10 snips
Feb 24, 2026
They explore why waking at 3 AM is often driven by liver and blood sugar issues, not just adrenal trouble. Topics include how fatty liver and insulin resistance cause nocturnal glucose swings, light and morning sun timing to fix cortisol, and ways to restore sleep pressure with exercise and minerals. Practical tips cover meal timing, choline/sulfur support, bile health, and easing the keto transition.
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INSIGHT

Brain Relies On Liver Fuel At Night

  • The brain depends almost entirely on liver-produced fuel overnight rather than muscle glycogen.
  • A healthy liver stores enough glycogen to feed the brain through the night, but a fatty or inflamed liver cannot reliably do this.
INSIGHT

Blood Sugar Swings Trigger 3AM Wakeups

  • Liver dysfunction causes multiple overnight blood sugar swings that trigger insulin and then adrenaline, which wakes you up.
  • Adrenaline mobilizes stored sugar fast and is the main hormone that makes you suddenly wide awake around 1–3 a.m.
ADVICE

Use Light To Reset Cortisol And Melatonin

  • Get morning sun exposure and dim lights three hours before bed to align cortisol and melatonin rhythms.
  • Blue light in the morning raises cortisol at the right time while evening light suppresses melatonin and delays sleepiness.
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