Cardiologist with 20 years of experience says 'waking up in the middle of the night' is a clear warning sign of...

Waking up unexpectedly during the night? Don't brush it off as normal. This could be your body's way of saying it's carrying more stress than you realise.

Want to know a lesser-known indicator of physical stress? Waking up unexpectedly during the night, particularly around 1 am or 2 am. In fact, it is a common sign that the body is highly stressed. Dr Sanjay Bhojraj, a cardiologist from California, US, who has 20 years of experience treating heart diseases, highlighted this in a December 5 Instagram post.

Dr Bhojraj shared how sudden nighttime waking is a critical biological signal of stress. (Adobe Stock)

According to Dr Bhojraj, this phenomenon was attributed to abnormal surges of cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, occurring at times other than the usual morning peak. In the video he posted, Dr Bhojraj explained how sudden nighttime waking is a critical biological signal of stress.

Sign of high stress

He said, “A sign that your body is stressed that most people ignore is waking up in the middle of the night, actually. So, when you're stressed, you experience peaks of cortisol, which can occur at inappropriate times. Normally, your cortisol is supposed to be highest right before you wake up. But if all of a sudden at 1 in the morning or 2 in the morning you're waking up and can't fall asleep, that's your body telling you that you're stressed out.”

In his caption, Dr Bhojraj said: “One of the most overlooked signs of stress isn’t anxiety, irritability, or even fatigue — it’s waking up in the middle of the night. Most people brush it off as 'normal', but physiologically, it’s one of the clearest signals your nervous system is struggling.”

The science behind it

He explained, “Here’s why: your body should stay in a parasympathetic (rest-and-repair) state overnight. But when stress hormones remain elevated — from inflammation, unstable blood sugar, poor sleep timing, or emotional overload — your cortisol rises at the wrong time. And that rise pulls you out of sleep around 1–3 am.”

Don't brush it off as normal

Dr Bhojraj concluded, “It feels like a random awakening, but it’s really a metabolic alarm:
your liver is overworking, your blood sugar is dipping, your cortisol is spiking, or your nervous system never fully powers down. In functional medicine, these patterns matter. They tell us your body is carrying more stress than you realise — and it’s trying to get your attention the only way it can.”

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.