Navigated to 26. QUICK RESET: Why You Keep Waking at 3am — And It’s Not Just Anxiety
ADHD Mums

·S3 E26

26. QUICK RESET: Why You Keep Waking at 3am — And It’s Not Just Anxiety

August 5
13 mins

Episode Description

If you’ve ever jolted awake at 3:11am spiralling over something you said in 2019 — you are not alone.

This Quick Reset is for the mums lying in bed, exhausted but wired, wondering if their brain is broken. (Spoiler: it’s not.)

In this raw and validating episode, Jane unpacks the real reasons so many neurodivergent women are waking up in the middle of the night. It’s not just anxiety. It’s hormones, cortisol spikes, perimenopause, trauma, overstimulation — and nervous systems that have been stuck in survival mode for years.

This episode gives you permission to stop blaming yourself for ‘bad sleep’ and start exploring what your body might actually be trying to say.

✨ IN THIS RESET:
• Why you might wake up at the exact same time every night
• What progesterone and GABA have to do with your 3am brain spiral
• Cortisol spikes, perimenopause, and stress-pattern sleep
• Why lying in bed makes it worse — and what to do instead
• The ‘entree thought’ that leads to a full-blown shame tornado
• Real stories, lived experience, and no-pressure ideas to try
• What actually helped Jane stop dreading the night

💭 This episode is for you if:
– You wake up at 3am and feel like your brain is on fire
– You spiral through every mistake you’ve ever made — and then still have to parent all day
– You’ve tried all the sleep hygiene hacks and nothing works

📥 Grab free ADHD resources at: https://adhdmums.com.au/resources/ 

📖 Read Blog Version HERE.

Other Quick Reset Episodes:

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!

FOLLOW FOR MORE:

Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or YouTube

LEAVE A REVIEW:

Love this episode? Your review means everything! It helps other mums find this content and feel supported. Let’s spread the word and make a difference together.

COLLABS:

For collaborations or speaking engagements, email me at assistant@adhdmums.com.au.

MORE RESOURCES:

Still unsure if ADHD or autism applies to you or your child? Take my recommended self-tests here.

TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:
3am wakeups, ADHD insomnia, perimenopause, neurodivergent women, cortisol spikes, progesterone crash, GABA regulation, executive dysfunction, trauma-affected sleep, emotional overload, hormone dysregulation, ADHD parenting, internalised anxiety, rejection sensitivity, hypervigilance, shame spiral, ADHD women, sleep and trauma, chronic stress patterns.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See all episodes