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Waking up between midnight and 3 a.m. had been my reality for over a year, and it left me drained and desperate for solutions. If you’ve ever dealt with disrupted sleep, you know how frustrating it can be. After months of extensive experiments and tracking, I’ve finally found two key solutions that have completely changed my sleep duration and quality.
When My 3:00 AM Wake-ups Began
A year and a half ago, I started the carnivore diet as an experiment to see if it would boost my energy levels or help in any other way. I was very strict about it, but one month in, I began waking up consistently between midnight and 3 a.m. To cope, I started going to bed at 6 p.m., but even then, I never felt truly rested because the quality of my sleep was impacted too.
Since my issues started, I’ve made numerous changes – like quitting coffee – and have tried lots of suggestions. I’ve watched countless videos and read numerous articles about why this could be happening and potential solutions to fix it. But, none of them worked for me. The most common recommendation was to increase my fat intake before bed – but it just made my sleep worse. Unfortunately, quitting coffee didn’t increase my sleep duration either – though it did increase my dreaming and the amount of REM per night.
Tracking the Problem
I’ve been extremely determined to fix this, so I embarked on a journey of tracking and experimentation. I kept detailed sleep logs, used a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and even wore an EEG headband called the Muse-S to monitor my brain waves at night. This tracking led me to one discovery: my sleep disruptions were tied to low blood sugar levels at night.
The Role of Low Blood Sugar
Many people on low-carb, keto, or carnivore diets experience hypoglycemia during the night, though many people aren’t aware of it. My glucose monitor consistently showed dips in blood sugar during my worst nights, confirming that this was a factor in my sleep issues.
However, low blood sugar alone doesn’t tell the full story—it’s more complex than that. Other interconnected issues can contribute, including:
- Gluconeogenesis: This process, where the body creates glucose from protein, can sometimes be inefficient, leading to blood sugar dips.
- Dysregulated Cortisol Levels: Cortisol is essential for stabilizing blood sugar overnight, and imbalances can disrupt sleep. For me, this was a significant factor as well—testing with a DUTCH Complete panel revealed that my cortisol levels were chronically low, which likely compounded the problem.
- Depleted Glycogen Stores: This is common in ketosis, as your body uses stored glucose for energy. Without enough glycogen or adequate fat intake, your body may struggle to maintain stability overnight.
- Electrolyte Imbalances: Low levels of magnesium, potassium, or sodium can create stress-like symptoms, even when blood sugar is stable.
Understanding these contributing factors helped me take a more holistic approach to solving my sleep issues, focusing on stabilizing glucose and addressing underlying imbalances.
Solution #1: Adding Fruit to My Evening Routine
One of the biggest changes I made was introducing a small amount of carbohydrate, usually fruit, into my evening meal. Here’s what worked for me:
- Timing: I eat my last meal 2-4 hours before bed. Some people prefer to extend this out further. Eating too close to bedtime can be disruptive.
- Portion Control: A small to medium-sized meal works best for me; overeating can also disrupt my sleep.
- Choice of Carbs: Frozen peaches have been my go-to lately, though this can change at any time. They’re not overly sweet, have a bit of fiber, and provide a moderate glycemic impact that’s gentle on blood sugar levels.
- Pairing: I mix coconut butter with a little coconut milk to create a creamy dip for the peaches. This adds fat, slowing digestion and buffering the glucose impact.
Personal Experimentation
Stabilizing my blood sugar took a lot of personal experimentation. I had to test different types of foods and different amounts to figure out what worked for me. It sounds like such a simple 
Hormones that Help with Sleep
A balanced glucose response is crucial for maintaining steady energy levels and supporting the production of sleep-regulating hormones like serotonin and melatonin. Insulin, released in response to carbohydrates, helps increase tryptophan’s availability in the brain by reducing competition from other amino acids. Tryptophan is then converted into serotonin, which is further transformed into melatonin—essential hormones for initiating and maintaining restful sleep.
Importance of Fat and Protein
For those on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, there are a few things you can incorporate to help buffer carbs and balance glucose. Fat slows digestion and helps keep blood sugar steady. Protein supports this by stabilizing blood sugar as well. While not everyone loves fiber, it can be useful too—soluble fiber slows carb absorption, creating a more gradual glucose response.
Milk and Honey
If you’d like to avoid eating fruit, there are still simple ways to stabilize your blood sugar before bed. One option is a glass of milk, which contains lactose, a sugar that can help provide a glucose response. If that’s not enough, adding a small amount of honey can also work well if you don’t have sugar sensitivities or a sugar addiction.
The natural sugars in milk and honey should be absorbed gradually, helping to maintain a steady glucose level throughout the night. The important thing to remember is to consume this after your fatty, high-protein meal, which acts as a buffer. Milk can also support the production of serotonin and melatonin, the hormones responsible for promoting deep, restful sleep. Experiment with small portions to find what works best for your body, especially if you’re following a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle.
By changing my diet and incorporating a small amount of carbs before bed, I made significant progress in improving my sleep quality. Adding those evening carbs helped me fall asleep faster and, on most nights, allowed me to fall back asleep after waking up at 3 a.m.—a pattern that had become deeply ingrained in my body’s clock. However, the wake-ups themselves didn’t stop entirely. Even with the improvements, waking at 3 a.m. was still disruptive and left me feeling less rested overall.
Before adding carbs, I couldn’t fall back asleep at all once I woke up, which drastically reduced the amount of sleep I got and left me exhausted during the day. So, while the dietary changes made a meaningful difference, they weren’t enough to resolve the issue completely.
The real breakthrough came when I found a way to reset my circadian rhythm. Once I started consistently using a light therapy device as part of my morning routine, things finally changed. For the first time in over a year, I stopped waking up at 3 a.m. entirely. For the most part, I can now sleep throughout the night—something I honestly never thought was possible after struggling for so long.
Solution #2: Resetting My Circadian Rhythm with Light Therapy
While addressing blood sugar was really important, I still needed to fix my body’s internal clock. That’s when I discovered the Luminette Light Therapy Device – recommended to my son by a trusted sleep doctor. I decided to try it out for myself.
Once I incorporated it into my morning routine and stuck with it, for the most part, I stopped waking up at 3 a.m. Now, I sleep through the night – something I never thought would be possible. I say for the most part because I occasionally go through periods of sinus issues and congestion which tend to negatively impact my sleep from time to time.
Features and Benefits of the Luminette
The Luminette is a wearable device that emits safe, carefully calibrated light wavelengths designed to mimic natural sunlight. Unlike traditional light boxes, the Luminette is lightweight, portable, and convenient—you can wear it while going about your morning tasks like feeding your pets, cleaning up, or reading. The device has multiple brightness settings, and the length of your treatment depends on the brightness level you’re using. As far as safety goes, this has been tested for safety and effectiveness, including approvals in the EU, which has strict standards for such products.
How It Works
I use the Luminette every morning for 20-30 minutes while I get ready for the day. The light stimulates receptors in your eyes that are responsible for regulating your circadian rhythm. This sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to wake up, helping to reset your body’s internal clock and promote better sleep at night.
Why It’s Effective
Morning light exposure is vital for regulating sleep-wake cycles. By mimicking natural sunlight, the Luminette helps synchronize your internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Since using it, my sleep quality has dramatically improved, and I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Morning light exposure is vital for regulating sleep-wake cycles. Living in the Midwest, where sunlight is scarce, this device has become my personal sunlight substitute.
Why I Love the Luminette
I never thought I could reset my body’s clock after waking up at 3 a.m. for over a year—but this has changed things for me and I now rely on it as an essential part of my morning routine.
Living in the Midwest, where sunlight is scarce for months at a time, the Luminette gives me the light exposure my body desperately needs to regulate my sleep-wake cycle. Since using it, my nights are generally no longer interrupted by early wake-ups. Now I can sleep through the night until around 4:45 to 5:00 a.m., and sometimes longer.
For anyone struggling with sleep issues tied to a disrupted circadian rhythm, I can’t recommend the Luminette enough. It’s an investment in your health and well-being that I couldn’t imagine living without.
Luminette Light Therapy Glasses
You can also purchase the Luminette on Amazon and check out the great reviews there. I signed up as an affiliate because I am such a huge fan of their glasses.
Fine-Tuning and Variables That Can Impact Sleep
At the time of posting this, I’m still pretty sensitive to changes. If I skip those evening carbs, I often wake up again at 3:00 a.m., though I can often fall back asleep. The same thing happens if I don’t eat at the right time, don’t get enough fat during the day, or just don’t eat enough overall. It’s a tricky balance, and I think it’ll take some time to really fine-tune this and become less sensitive.
Update and Full Review of the Luminette 3 Light Therapy Glasses
If you want to learn more about my experiences with the light therapy glasses, I’ve posted an update here: Review of the Luminette 3 Light Therapy Glasses. Things seem to change regularly and I’ve had some great improvements with the glasses since I wrote this post and recorded the video here.
What Are Your Experiences?
If you’re dealing with sleep issues while eating low-carb, keto, or carnivore, have you found a solution? What have you tried? Please share your experiences in the comments below. Hearing what works for others can be incredibly helpful, as we all respond so differently to dietary and lifestyle changes.
