# The 3am Wake Up - Getting Back to Sleep When  Anxiety Wakes You

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief-98140/the-3am-wake-up-getting-back-to-sleep-when-anxiety-wakes-you
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief-98140/the-3am-wake-up-getting-back-to-sleep-when-anxiety-wakes-you.md
Podcast: [Calming Anxiety | Guided Meditation, Sleep Hypnosis & Panic Attack Relief](https://stenobird.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief-98140)
Published: 2026-08-30T02:00:02+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-3am-wake-up-getting-back-to-sleep-when-anxiety-wakes-you--73189434
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73189434/the_3am_wake_up_getting_back_to_sleep_when_anxiety_wakes_you.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief-98140/episodes/the-3am-wake-up-getting-back-to-sleep-when-anxiety-wakes-you
Duration seconds: 643

## Resource

Waking Up at 3am — Anxiety Relief to Get You Back to Sleep | Extended Exhale Breathing Waking up at 3am with anxiety is one of the loneliest experiences there is — your eyes open on their own, your heart is faster than it should be for someone lying perfectly still, and your mind has already found the one unfinished thought it saved up especially for now. This 10-minute guided meditation is built for exactly that hour. Martin explains why it happens: there is a small, ordinary rise in cortisol in the early hours meant to get your body ready for morning, and when you're anxious that rise arrives a little louder and wakes you. It isn't a warning. It isn't a sign. It's chemistry arriving early. From there the session uses extended exhale breathing — a gentle breath in, a brief pause, and an out-breath always longer than the in — because breathing out directly, mechanically slows your heart rate. It's the simplest somatic tool there is, and the one that works best lying down in the dark, when you don't want to count hard or hold anything. A warm light at the centre of the chest, gentle affirmations for sleep anxiety and insomnia relief, and three practical caring tips follow. If you drift off partway through, that's the point — let the voice fade. Hosted by clinical hypnotherapist and former paramedic Martin Hewlett. ⏱️ Time Chapters * 00:00 – Cold open: awake at three in the morning * 00:39 – Why you wake: the early-hours cortisol rise * 01:23 – Welcome to Calming Anxiety with Martin * 01:39 – Anchored: the nightlight and offline sleep sessions * 02:24 – Settling: letting the pillow take the weight * 03:36 – Extended exhale breathing: the science * 04:17 – Guided rounds: longer out than in * 05:37 – A warm light at the centre of your chest * 06:08 – Tonight's gentle affir…

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## Transcript

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