Usually, the most common cause of waking up between 1-4: 00 am is a liver problem. It may be that you have liver inflammation or fatty liver disease, also known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
So if you wake up at 3 AM, when Liver energy peaks, you may be suffering from Liver Qi stagnation, which could be related to an unhealthy diet, excess alcohol consumption, unresolved anger or high levels of stress.
1-3am is the time of the Liver and a time when the body should be alseep. During this time, toxins are released from the body and fresh new blood is made. If you find yourself waking during this time, you could have too much yang energy or problems with your liver or detoxification pathways.
Sleep disturbance is a common feature of chronic liver disease (CLD) with impact on health-related quality of life; 60–80% of patients with CLD report subjective poor sleep; frequent presentations of sleep disturbance include insomnia, reduced sleep efficiency, increased sleep latency, reduced time in rapid eye ...
However, as your liver loses its ability to function properly, you're likely to experience a loss of appetite, nausea and itchy skin. In the later stages, symptoms can include jaundice, vomiting blood, dark, tarry-looking stools, and a build-up of fluid in the legs (oedema) and abdomen (ascites).
Blood tests used to assess the liver are known as liver function tests. But liver function tests can be normal at many stages of liver disease. Blood tests can also detect if you have low levels of certain substances, such as a protein called serum albumin, which is made by the liver.
So, when the liver is stressed, it can disturb our emotional health. Emotions like anger, impatience, irritability and depression are common symptoms when the liver is in distress. Worse, it can affect your decision-making abilities and cause brain fog. It may even result in aggression and nasty outburst.
Reasons this might happen include drinking caffeine or alcohol late in the day, a poor sleep environment, a sleep disorder, or another health condition. When you can't get back to sleep quickly, you won't get enough quality sleep to keep you refreshed and healthy.
Waking up in the middle of the night is common. The most common cause is a liver problem, but there may be other reasons why your sleep is disrupted including sleep apnea, nocturnal hypoglycemia, viral infection, urinary issues, digestive issues, potential food allergies or stress.
The best way to put an end to late-night awakenings is to keep a consistent sleep-wake schedule. That means getting up at the same time each day (yes, even on weekends). Committing yourself to a proper bedtime is only half the battle to improve your sleep hygiene. Having other good sleep habits is just as important.
Normally, at night time, melatonin levels will naturally increase, and cortisol (our stress hormone), will naturally be lower (than in the mornings). If you are under acute stress, or you have been under chronic stress, you may notice that you tend to wake up between 2-4 am and have difficulty falling back asleep.
For instance, the liver is at its peak detox stage between 1 and 3 am. You should sleep by midnight so that your liver could focus on its cleansing function. Additionally, your lungs are most actively cleansing themselves between 3 and 5 am.
It typically takes seven days for the liver to detox but a couple of months for the symptoms to eventually disappear. Alcohol abuse patients are recommended to enrol in medically-assisted alcohol liver detox to manage symptoms accordingly.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Incredible detoxification actions of ACV work to flush out the harmful toxins from the liver that hinders its normal functions. Studies discloses that regular intake of ACV promotes weight loss, diminishes cholesterol levels, lessen inflammation, and uplift the overall health of the liver.
Ramelteon is a melatonin analog that is FDA-approved for use in insomnia and will potentially be useful to restore the sleep-wake cycle in cirrhosis-associated sleep disturbance.
Prevention of Liver Congestion
Therefore, to deal with liver congestion, one must sleep on the left side. Sleeping in this position helps the liver in neutralizing toxins before they are eliminated and also promote the smooth functioning of the organ.
Get Proper Sleep
Similarly, chronic liver diseases are associated with sleep disorders. Therefore, it is a two-way street, and sleep plays an important role in keeping your liver health intact. Try to get six to eight hours of sleep every night, preferably at the same time, to keep your liver healthy.