Why Am I Waking Up Between 2:30am and 3:00am?
It’s a popular trope in ghost hunting and paranormal shows – 3am is the witching hour, the hour that mocks 3pm – the hour (according to some) that Christ died on the cross. If you believe it, waking up at 3am can be a little scary.
Most recently, I have been waking up almost daily between 2:30am and 3:00am – most of the time closer to 3am. To make matters even more fun, usually I’m waking up from a nightmare. This isn’t especially unusual for me – nightmares have been commonplace for me for as long as I can remember. In fact, one of the first nightmares I can remember included an audio hallucination – you know, because nightmares aren’t scary enough, better make it a surround sound edition for three year old me.
Last night’s edition was particularly frightening, in a horror movie sort of way. I wasn’t me in my dream, I was someone else experiencing a horrible fate. Thankfully, it was something out of a science fiction horror, and not something to be found in the real word. Waking up from that nightmare, however, and noting that it was still dark outside, and my phone saying it was somewhere around 2:50am, I was more than a little anxious.
Now some might say there is a ghostly energy. I assure you all, there is not. I sleep next to an overly-protective minnie dachshund who would happily go full attack mode on a ghost if he saw/heard one. He might be diminutive, but he believes himself to be a big scary guard dog, wo we’re going to let him have that dream, okay?
Whether he’d be barking or biting the ankles of a ghost, the fact is, that Maverick would alert me to any possible presence in my room. When I occasionally have auditory hallucinations, I look at Maverick first to see if he’s reacting. When he sleeps peacefully through it, I can rest assured that it is, unfortunately, my brain and over-reactive imagination.
So then, why am I waking up?
RATIONAL EXPLANATIONS:
Evolutionary Function – Before we became agrarian, humans traveled in herds. We would have had to have taken turns sleeping for safety. The sleeping patterns were most likely shorter shifts of time. There are theories that this is why some of us have difficulty sleeping a full eight hours without interruption.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Circadian rhythm disorders, and, even issues with blood sugar and diabetes can disrupt sleep. I do deal with that last one – I’ve been type 1 diabetic since I was two, and that diagnosis has always impacted my sleep. Late night low blood sugars meant waking up to my mom forcing me to drink juice or eat crackers because she’d tested my blood sugar and I was dangerously low. Now, as an adult, I have a continuous glucose monitor, and often when I wake up, I do check what my CGM says. I’m lucky enough to have a CGM that communicates directly with my insulin pump, so late night lows are relatively infrequent for me now.
That being said, if you haven’t had an A1C done, or talked to a doctor, it may be something to consider, just to rule out underlying health issues that might be affecting your breathing, blood sugar, or physical health in anyway I haven’t mentioned.
ONTO THE SPIRITUAL – Why am I waking up every morning like this?
When we’re working through the spiritual, I recommend working with divination that you feel most comfortable with. If you aren’t comfortable practicing divination yourself, there are probably tarot readers in your area you might consult, and if you aren’t sure who to turn to, pop over to your local spiritual supply store and see who they might recommend. Most of all, listen to your own gut, and your comfort with the tarot reader, astrologer, etc.
The same applies here, if you’re reading yourself – use your gut, and be careful to discern the answers you’re getting.
I’ve been reading tarot for many years now, and the first deck I ever purchased is the one I trust the most. I’ve written about her before when I’ve talked about tarot; she tells me what I don’t want to hear, whether I like it or not. So when she tells me something good, I know she’s telling the truth. She is that bestie we all need who will slap us upside the head with the truth.
I am speaking of course about my Alice in Wonderland deck. The question I am going to ask is, “Why do I keep waking up every night between 2:30am and 3:00am? What do I need to know? How do I get a full nights’ sleep?” And I will pull three cards.
CARD 1: WHY AM I WAKING UP EVERY NIGHT BETWEEN 2:30AM AND 3:00AM? – SEVEN OF WANDS
Meaning: The Seven of Wands is about defending oneself, and there is a connotation of standing firm in one’s beliefs against what might feel like insurmountable odds. Some of the keywords are defending, protecting, valor, courage, standing for beliefs, bravery, resolve, taking action, resistance, opposition, tenacity. In therapy yesterday, I confessed to my therapist that I felt like if I wanted to work in a local business, I would have to change myself, hide who I’ve become. I told her, “I’ve worked really hard to become who I am, and I feel like the person I am now…I feel like she is worth fighting for.” The fact is, I’m in a new and terrifying time in my life when I do resonate with feeling like I’m fighting against seemingly unbeatable odds. And frankly? I am going to beat them. I make things happen for myself, and this time in my life is no exception.
Which, seems to be reflected in the second card.
CARD 2: WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW? XVII THE STAR
Meaning: The element of The Star is air, and is typically associated with Aquarius – my own sun sign. The keywords tend toward optimism, hope, healing, blessing, inspiration, and peace. The Star comes after the destruction of The Tower XVI in the Fool’s journey of the Major Arcana of tarot, and can indicate that things are going to be okay. The fact that this is what I need to know – that things are going to be all right – is reassuring, to say the least.
CARD 3: HOW DO I GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP? 8 OF CUPS
Meaning: The 8 of Cups is commonly associated with abandonment, sometimes disappointment. In context of my situation, it means abandoning what hasn’t served me in the past and pursuing my higher good. I think this is a reminder not to stress about the outcome – the outcome is good, and it’s out of my hands, since I’ve done what I can. Basically: quit worrying about it, and let your intuition lead you.
I’ll try my best to keep this in mind when I go to sleep tonight. Hopefully at the very least, my dreams will be better!
Sources:
Summer, J. V. (2022, April 22). Why Do I Wake Up at 3 am? Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-faqs/why-do-i-wake-up-at-3am
Moore, B. (2018). Tarot in Wonderland. Llewellyn. https://www.llewellyn.com/product.php?ean=9780738746807&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr6_BhD4ARIsAH1YdjBUSyaZPT33lW883GD-SYrOR_AvXk4rbQ26zHUJCmLAKChgxVxebfwaApcmEALw_wcB
Wen, B. (2015). Holistic tarot: An integrative approach to using tarot for personal growth. North Atlantic Books. https://benebellwen.com/about-the-book/ (2015)
