Doctor weighs in on second wind phenomenon, and when you should go to sleep every night

A naturopathic doctor’s video explaining the viral phenomenon of the “second wind” and its effects on sleep hormones has gone viral, resonating with many night owls.In the clip, Dr Kara explains that going to bed between 11 p.m.and 1 a.m.

disrupts the natural balance of hormones – cortisol and melatonin – leading to poor sleep quality.“If you go to bed between 11pm and 1am, you are doing a disservice to your hormones,” she begins.“In the evening, cortisol should be at its absolute lowest because it needs to allow melatonin to be at its highest to put you in a deeper restorative sleep”.Cortisol and melatonin work in opposite ways, so if you push your body to go to bed past 11 p.m., you’re causing a second, third, or even fourth cortisol spike.“This spike prevents and suppresses melatonin’s release,” she explains.

“The spike also causes a bout of hypoglycaemia in the middle of the night, forcing you to wake up a few hours later, so the best time to go to bed is 10:30pm to avoid the second spike and wake-up time around 6:30am”.Commenters felt seen by the clip, with one writing, “Me watching this at 11:30pm,” and another saying, “Who’s watching this going to sleep after 1am and waking up at 4am and haven’t been back to sleep yet?”Sleep expert Matthew Beard, CEO of A.H.Beard, told news.com.au that the so-called “second wind” is a real biological phenomenon.“It’s a natural surge of alertness that often happens in the evening, driven by our circadian rhythm,” Beard told news.com.au.“It’s why you might suddenly feel wide awake when you’re expecting to be winding down.

Going to bed during this period can make it harder to fall asleep, which can delay your sleep cycles and reduce the overall quality of your rest.”According to Beard, for most adults, aiming to be in bed around 10 to 10:30 p.m.aligns best with the body’s internal clock.“Hitting this window supports deep and REM sleep cycles, which are critica...