NHS GP and ITV doctor Amir Khan explains why you might wake at 3am tonight

A TV doctor and NHS GP has explained why you wake up in the dead of night all the time - and may well do tonight. If you've ever sat in bed wide awake and caught in a whirlwind of anxious thoughts, the reason why may well take you by surprise. Dr Amir Khan, a well-known face on shows including Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, shared his expert insight on Instagram . While finding yourself fully alert at the stroke of midnight can be unsettling, he made clear that it's generally a perfectly normal bodily reaction. "Have you ever noticed that you fall asleep just fine and then suddenly you're awake at 3am, staring at the ceiling, overthinking your entire life?" the doctor asked his followers in a post earlier this year. "Well, there's actually a biological reason for that. Around 2 to 4am, your body is in a very particular phase of its sleep cycle. "Cortisol, your natural stress hormone, starts to rise in preparation for waking up. It's completely normal. But if you're already stressed, anxious, or running on empty, that small hormonal shift can be enough to tip you into wakefulness. "At the same time, your brain is more vulnerable. During the night, especially in the early hours, blood sugar levels can dip slightly. If they drop too low, which is more likely if you've had alcohol, eaten very late, or are under chronic stress, your body releases adrenaline to compensate." This sudden rush of adrenaline can jolt you awake, causing your heart to race or leaving you feeling sharply alert. In the dead of night, with no distractions or background noise to speak of, the brain's ability to detect threats can go into overdrive, reports the Manchester Evening News . Tasks that feel perfectly manageable at 3pm can feel utterly overwhelming by 3am. Dr Khan noted that hormonal shifts, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, can play a significant role in this change. In the video, he continued: "And poor sleep itself becomes part of the cycle. The more you worry about waking up, the more likely you are to wake up. Now, waking briefly in the night is actually normal. We all cycle through lighter sleep every 90 minutes. "The problem isn't waking up, it's the anxiety about being awake. So gentle breathing, avoiding clock-watching and screens and keeping evenings calm and alcohol light can really help. "So if you're awake at 3am, it doesn't mean you're broken, it just means your biology is doing what biology does. And we just need to help it along a little bit." The NHS provides thorough online guidance on building healthy habits to enhance your sleep quality and enjoy a more restful night. Amongst these resources, it sets out six essential tips for nodding off more quickly, including: Have a good sleep routine (sleep hygiene) Improve sleep through diet and exercise Try mindfulness for sleep Create the right sleep environment Do not force sleep Relax, unwind and try meditation before sleep For further information, visit the NHS website here .