If you always wake up at 3am, there may be a simple answer…you are too stressed. Fortunately for most – there is a solution, but first we need to understand why you wake up.
Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am
Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!
So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?
3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.
I Don’t Want to Wake Up at 3am – An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy
If you always wake up at 3am or have trouble sleeping, then we have great news. 95% of our clients who suffer from this issue have reported that they found relief by using the simple recipe below. We always hear about how it has changed peoples’ lives so why don’t you give it a try?
Adrenal Cocktail Recipe
½ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon cream of tarter
½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt
Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed.
*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.
To get a better idea of whether or not you may have adrenal fatigue, check out our Adrenal Fatigue Quiz!
Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am
The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.
- Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.
- Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.
- Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.
This drink is Miraculous! We give you the recipe for FREE because we have seen it change countless lives forever! The only thing we ask is for you to share it with your family and friends, so that others who are suffering can benefit from it also.
For more tips, visit How To Stop Waking Up At 3am [infographic] and also be sure to take the Adrenal Fatigue Quiz.
Hi. I am at the end of my first trimester of pregnancy, and was just wondering if you know if this is safe to take while pregnant. I’ve been waking around 3 each night and am up for about 2 hours, only to doze for about an hour or so until 6:30 when I wake to get my family ready for the day. This means I’m nodding off at my desk by about 1 p.m. and practically falling asleep at the dinner table. I’ve tried going to sleep earlier, I’ve tried going to sleep later, teas, etc, nothing has helped.
Thanks!
Vicky
Hi Guys,
I’m interested in trying your cocktail but I’ve been doing some reading up on adrenal fatigue and most sites say that orange juice is the worst thing for it and some sites say the same about potassium. As your cocktail involves both can you please address this issue for my peace of mind?
Thanks
Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delayed response to this. It has been a hectic spring!
The answer to your question is that there are people on both sides of the fence when it comes to adrenal fatigue. About 90% of the responses that we get about the Adrenal Cocktail are positive. We have no commercial interest in it, so the only reason we leave it up is because people report great success. That said, don’t ignore your intuition. If you don’t think it will be good for your body, then maybe it’s best to pass on this one.
Thanks for the reply.
I decided to give it a go regardless and I’m no longer waking up at 3 ish in the mornings.
Great to hear Paul!
hi
thank you so much for this miraculus coktail after weeks of weaking up at 3am precisely due to high adrelanile of a new business start up after taking the coktail only 4 or 5 times now i m back to my normal sleeping times thank u so much for sharing it it s so kind of u
have a great day all
I have been drinking the cocktail for about a week now and it really works…I was waking at 3am every day..now I sometimes still wake but fall back asleep straight away or I sleep til at least 4 or 5am..
I will keep drinking, thank you for the remedy!!!
How about fixing the reasons behind the stress? It saddens me to see reports from sp many people living like this for years on end. We really need to rethink how we are living our lives if we are effected like this on a daily basis for a period of years.
We totally agree with you Emma. Thanks for pointing that out! It can be a viscous cycle because when people stop sleeping well they have an even harder time dealing with stress than before. As a result, sleep tends to be the low hanging fruit, but addressing the stress is an essential part of the process.
My partner and I have tried the recipe for 3 night’s now and neither us us have noticed any difference. Do we need to wait longer before there is any effect? Had high hopes for this after years of insomnia and sleeping pills but it seems this is yet another remedy that doesn’t, work……..
Sorry to hear that Caroline. Everyone is a little different and unfortunately we do see rare cases where people don’t see much change in their sleep patterns with the adrenal cocktail. Give it a try for a few more nights and try a couple other steps for better sleep as well. Maybe hitting it from a few different angles will do the trick. Here are a some things to try: http://www.rejuvinstitute.com/how-to-stop-waking-up-at-3am-infographic
I have been getting up between 2:30 & 3 am for about 4 years
With the rare week of being able to sleep straight.
I started taking your remedy about 3 months ago and after 2 weeks I started
to sleep straight 7-8 hours.Thank you soo much
for making this remedy public it’s a miracle.
QUESTION-Is it safe to take indefinitely? I stopped
for 2 weeks and started the bad sleep again.
I started taking the remedy again yesterday.
After years of waking up at 3:00 (8-10 years), I tried your mixture and I have been sleeping soundly for the past week. A couple of times the dog or my husband has woken me up but I appropriately feel sleepy, not wide awake, and am able to go back to sleep again. After describing my symptoms to a pharmacist several years ago, she correctly assessed the situation to be an adrenaline issue and suggested I go to a naturopath/holistic doctor. I never did but instead went to a regular MD who gave me lorazepam, which does not address the underlying issue. Anyway, thank you for this simple cure. My question now is, will my glycogen not be overly used since my sleep cycle is being corrected so that I will only need the “potion” for a short period of time or is this a long term need?
can we drink or eat something sugary at 3am and then go to bed…will that solve the problem of liver getting the glycogen as it needs
My husband has been having this problem for months now and tried the OJ recipe last night. He still woke up, but around 1:30 instead. The strange thing is, he came down with a major migraine this afternoon. Could it be related to the cream of tartar? He has a dairy allergy which causes migraines but cream of tartar is dairy free. Any ideas? He would like to try it again to see if it helps his sleep, but would be afraid of the migraine returning.
Missy,
The two events may or may not be related. Some people drink the cocktail for 3+ nights before getting results. Is your husband willing to risk another migraine for the opportunity to get better sleep? Maybe that is your answer.
Please let me know of alternative for Type 1 diabetics. If I drink even 1 swallow of OJ my blood sugars SOAR! I am stressed severely during the past year and am dying to sleep past 2:30/3am. Sometimes I fall asleep at 5am heavily and then need to turn around and get up again! help anybody?
My daughter wakes up every couple of hours every night. She is 4 years old and she doesn’t seem to be getting any better sleeping habits no matter what I have tried. Is this safe for children her age to try?
Each of the ingredients are very common, but for children you may want to check with your doctor first to verify that the quantities are ok.
I must admit, I was very skeptical. I wake up every couple hours and stay awake. I hate medication so I thought I’d give this a try. I tried this for close to a week and noticed while I woke up once or twice, it was not WIDE awake, as if I was only half awake..and I never had to get up or stayed awake, I went right back to sleep. I thought it was my imagination so one night I decided not to drink the cocktail. I was WIDE awake again and for long periods of time!!! I immediately went back to the cocktail and have had great results. I am convinced this potion is a miracle, Thanks so much!!!!!
will it be okay for me, because im an acidic?
My freshman college student is having a hard time falling asleep. I am going to give him this remedy to see if this will help.
I’ve just started experiencing this problem – every morning between 3 and 330! I’m hesitant to try medication because I don’t want to rely on it to get sleep forever! This seems right up my alley, though! Its at least worth a try!! I’m just curious if this it should be consumed right before bed, or just anytime in the evening. I try not to drink liquids 3 hours before bed, because I guess I thought that may have been why I was waking up… Thanks!!
Try drinking it pretty close to bedtime. You may need to play with times a bit to figure out what works best for you. Some people report benefits from drinking it in the morning in addition to before bed, but nighttime is key.
Wow !! Amazing ! This was my problem during almost 3 years. I started taking this 2 weeks ago and after a few days I was sleeping much better. Yesterday I was able to go do a party for the first time !!! Amazing !! ;-) Only one question : my body probably needs some more time to find an equilibrium. However, I feel that though I am much less tired during the day, I have many moments where I have trouble concentrating (paradoxically, more than before). I generally feel a bit sleepy during the day. Should I take less ? I am taking what you recommend for now.
Great question Kevin. As you know, the body is an ecosystem and when one part is out of balance, the whole thing can slowly get off track. I wouldn’t think that the O.J. mixture would be causing the concentration issues because it could be any number of things.
Your best bet is to look at your body as a whole and try to uncover problem areas, then change them and pay attention to the results. If you need some help with this, why don’t you fill out this health form: http://www.rejuvinstitute.com/free-trial. One of our wellness coaches will review it and call you with some suggestions.
I am only 16 but have been suffering for this for months, i weight train so i cant live off this little sleep for much longer, im going to try this tonight as last night was my worst nights sleep to date. Just wondering do i have to do this every single night or once i get my sleep schedule right should i drop it?
Everyone is different Ross. You can try going off of it afterward, but be sure to pay attention to your body and see how it reacts.
Thank you for the explanation and information. I wake up every night at 3am. I am under a lot of stress but I just didn’t think the reason would have been stress which make a lot of sense.
I will try to remedy and have shared the information on my facebook and will continue to share the information.
-Shawn
i go tru stages of waking up at 3 am ,when i do i am wide awake with my heart racing,looking at the time,thinking about the day ahead how will i get tru with only a couple of hours sleep. i try everything from breathing techniques to even praying……in the end i am so worked up i have to get up or twist and turn and then the dreaded time has come to get up and i am so wound up im ready for a day full of anxiety. i am at wits end at the moment with this and feel like i am constantly living on my last nerve!1 my adrenaline is soaring. tonight i found this sight,i have gone to buy oranges and cream of tartar sauce,the shop only has tartar sauce so we will see will it do:0 fingers and toes crossed for a happy nights rest:) keep u posted:0x
Don’t use Tarter Sauce! That’s what you dip fish in. Cream of Tarter is used alot in baked goods. It should be easily found in the spice section of any grocery store.
Can you use more orange juice than 1/2 cup? It was a little thick.
Give it a try Laura – not too much though. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Isn’t 1/2 a teaspoon of Himalayan too much?? I just purchased a bottle of Profusion Himalayan Rose Pink Crystal Salt fine.. 1/2 teasoon just seems like loads.. thanks
It shouldn’t be a problem.
It works. Woke up once at 4am. Tried it last night for the first time after reading the article. I’ve been suffering this for the past 2 years. will continue and update the results.
Hi, I’m really excited to come across this post. Although I sleep quite well, waking a few times but getting back to sleep, I rarely feel rejuvenated or well rested come morning. I’m just wondering about the cream of tartar. My fear is buying a brand that is only containing substitute ingredients. Ie tesco cream of tartar. Any suggestions regarding this would be appreciated
Thanks
Hi Mary. I am not sure about variations in cream of tartar brands. Most cream of tartar should be the same. If you are concerned about it, why don’t you order some online? McCormick should work. Good luck!
Hi again,
I’ve been experimenting with the cocktail over the passed few nights. The first two nights I found myself to be sleeping much better. However I became very constipated out of the blue and I am wondering if maybe one of the ingredients is causing it. I would be greatful for any suggestions, thanks
I read the article and it sounded like me so I decided to try it. I’ve taken the cocktail now for two nights with mediocre results. I definitely notice a difference – I am not nearly as wide awake as I was previously; however, I am still waking up (just falling back asleep and waking up again frequently). I am more rested, but not like you would be if I got a total nights sleep. Any suggestions?
I was thinking about doubling the amount since I am a big guy (6’7″, 220lbs). Any other thoughts or ideas?
Thanks for the help, this was the first real solution I’ve found.
So as an update – I did end up doubling the salt and the tarter and now I’m sleep really well. Thanks again!
That’s great Dan! We are so happy to hear it.
Also, I tried just eating a banana before sleep (high sugar and potassium). Even though it doesn’t have all of the minerals of the sales, I am having the same effect as the drink with that hassle/taste. Thanks again.
well, I had this problem for the first time, for a couple weeks, this is the first thing Ive tried and it seems to work quite well, I just wish I could have my body working properly like before and not have to use this, however its better than waking up at 3AM every night
You make a great point Matt. Maybe your next course of action is to figure out what is causing the issue. Do some research on liver stress and adrenal fatigue to see if any causes make sense.
i am thankful for this article. it explained why i woke up at 3am exery night for YEARS. i found the cocktail didnt work for me, but tried milk thistle and now i sleep like a baby :) thanks
I want to know if it is safe to take during pregnancy.
None of these should interfere with your pregnancy, but please check with your doctor first.
I just drank it for the first time and ended up with a clump of salt and tartar at the bottom. Any tips on how to have it mix in
If you mix it well with a spoon and drink it down, it should be fine.
I take standard process supplements to help me sleep.Will this cocktail counteract with them? Also im gluten free does cream of tarter have gluten?
Each of these ingredients are gluten free and commonly found in everyday foods. We don’t foresee any issue, but standard process should be able to tell you for sure.
Good luck Dawn!
Would love to try this because I have been suffering with this for months now. Since I am in Portugal, they don’t sell cream of tarter here. Any substitute? Thanks!
Thanks for asking Leslie. You are going to want to use cream of tartar, but the good news is that you can easily buy it online.
Just do a search for cream of tartar and you will find it. It is a household baking product. If you need further help, please let us know. We would be happy to assist you in getting some.
I tried this and didnt work. Woke up at same time. However I am hypoglycemic, so the orange juice has fructose which is not good for people like me. It brings up blood sugar quickly and then I have a crash which wakes me up. I get up disoriented and shaky, often very thirsty and I pee alot at night. Its best for me not to have a huge dinner right before going to bed. I dont wake up if I eat a baked potato or a small bowl of bran flakes two hours before bed. Also, dont eat chocolate or sweets before bed cuz they will give vivid dreams.
Thanks for your feedback Zasha. Everyone is different and there are rare circumstances when this solution doesn’t work. We would be happy to work with you individually if needed. You can reach me directly at matt@rejuvinstitute.com.
3am eternal. Every night for 16 months. Wide awake…..
So…. I found this cocktail, got the ingredients (cyprus sea salt) took the potion and went to bed.
Naturally, i woke – wide awake, and jumped out of bed to pop the toilet etc….
Got to the landing of the stairs and guess what?? All my family were up and about getting ready for school/work etc? Was it 3am? No. It was 8.15am!!!
The first of 4 full nights sleep since taking the potion.
Amazing!
Hi, Thanks for this interesting information. My wife is an Air Canada flight Attendant of many years service who has chronic insomnia. We tried the cocktail, but the orange juice energizes her too much for sleep. She is very sensitive to all forms of sugar. Is it okay to use the tartar and Himalayan salt in water or milk instead of orange juice?
Best,
Colin
Since these are household ingredients, she can pretty much try whatever she likes, however it is very difficult to know what is going on without more information. We would be happy to work with your wife individually if needed Colin. I can be contacted directly at matt@rejuvinstitute.com.
Thank you so much ! This cocktail is amazing and I’m back to sleeping full nights . Thanks for sharing !
Is this safe for me to use the recipe? I have liver disease and do not want to cause strain on the liver.
I wish I could give you a definite answer Nancy, but unfortunately, that is a question that you need to take to your doctor. That individual will know your specific situation and should be able to give you a clear answer in this case as well.
Hi, I have high blood pressure so the salt worries me. Does the potassium in the cream of tartar balance it out? What happens if you use just the cream of tartar without the salt? I have tried the orange juice with the cream of tartar alone for the last three nights and I actually slept till the morning . . . placebo? I’m worried about the high potassium . . . any advice?
Hi Barbara. Sorry it took a few days for us to reply to this one. The short answer is that to my knowledge, potassium does not balance out high blood pressure.
All three elements are very important to the equation, but the body will still use two of the three if that is all you can take. That may be the reason why your sleep has improved. You may also want to see if there are other areas where you could cut salt in order to use it in this recipe for the sake of sleep.
Here is an article that may be interesting to you as well: Eating less salt doesn’t cut heart risks: study
Let us know if there is anything else we can do!
Funnily enough I came across your article whilst I woke up at 3:09am and decided to google my symptoms and I could not be happier to have come across this article! My mum and I suffer this all the time and I am about to try this tonight! My only worry is that I won’t be able to find Himalayan or Celtic salt- can I use sea salt or another similar alternative? I would really appreciate the help! Thanks again for this!
Good question Marion. Sea salt is fine. If you look around, I bet you can get one of the other kinds as well, but it is up to you. We are so happy to help!
After learning about this natural sleep solution from Matt at a conference, I immediately tried it after returning home. On the third day, a Friday night, I slept for 10 hours with just one wake up! This IS a miracle for me since I have not been able to get restorative sleep for many years, waking up sometimes every hour during the night. On Saturday, the next day, I had so much energy that I did my seasonal house cleaning for 12 hours. I’m so thankful. I’ve shared this recipe with many friends and family.
Thanks for sharing Barb. We are so happy that you had a life-changing experience with this!
Can I use sea salt instead and does the orange juice have to be fresh squeezed? Thanks! Also, can I use lime or lemon juice instead?
You can use sea salt also, we just like himalayan better because it has less exposure to pollution. As far as juice goes, it doesn’t need to be fresh squeezed. Again, orange juice is what we have experience with. I dont think it would be very pleasant to drink 1/2 cup of lemon or lime juice, but it is really about the fruit’s sugar, so it would probably work. Let us know how it goes!
What if you are allergic to citrus, as I am. What else is a good substitute?
Thanks for asking Jennifer. As we told Jami below: “Orange juice definitely works best, but the sugar from the fruit is the key benefit to the equation, so feel free to try other juices. Maybe grape?”. Hope this helps.
Glad I found this site. Been dealing with 3am wake-ups and exhaustion for a long time, even with prescription sleep meds. I knew the adrenals were involved, but didn’t know what to do about it. This is definitely worth a try.
Just wondering, what would be a good substitute for the orange juice, as I have citrus allergies? Thank you.
Great question Jami! Orange juice definitely works best, but the sugar fromt the fruit is the key benefit to the equation, so feel free to try other juices. Maybe grape? Check back and let us know how it goes!
I was skeptical that your “Adrenal Cocktail” would work. I am very happy to say that the first night I tried it, I slept all through the night for the first time in months. It was the “best” sleep that I have had in a long time. I have known that my Adrenal glands have been working overtime due to stressors in my life, but I have not been able to find a way to restore the balance.
If anyone is suffering from waking up in the middle of the night, I strongly encourage you to try this “cocktail”! I am sure that like me, you have tried various solutions. This remedy worked for me. And the best part is that the ingredients are a fraction of the cost of my insomnia medication.
One last thought, you should have a Donate button on this page. I would be happy to donate for your time and efforts with helping people with this sleeping disorder!
It’s always a pleasure to provide aid to the suffering JP! That is what we are here for, so let us know if there is anything else we can help you with. Thank you for sharing your story and thanks for your donation offer! Feel free to offer a donation to your favorite charity on our behalf.
I’m so envious of these results! Problem w/ me is I am a Type 1 diabetic…and orange juice sends my blood sugar soaring like no other thing! I have been waking up at 3am for SO long and want relief! Am using RX for sleep and still wake up. Melatonin helps me little. Think I allergic now to Kava Kava b/c of overuse too. :( Help?
I have been very stressed over work for years. And I have been waking in the middle of the night at 3am for a very long time. Now, I am starting to wake earlier. Like 1:30-2:00am. I usually go to bed by 11:00pm, I read and fall asleep- no problem. I have tried everything I can think of, including PM meds like Tylenol w/ diphenhydramine and every other OTC med. I’ve tried more homeopathic remedies than I can think of. All to no long term success. I will try your suggestion and report back- thank you!!
This is definitely worth a shot Shawn. We have seen it work for so many people who had “tried everything else”. Rest assured, we dont own a ton of orange juice stock, so we wouldn’t be suggesting it if it didn’t work almost all the time.
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
I tried this for three nights in a row and the first two nights I still woke up but noticed the pain in the middle and lower back was gone. For the first time in over three years of trying every pain releaver you can name the pain was gone. Last night (the third night) I was able to sleep through the night for the first time in many years. I woke up and could not belive I did not even wake up once! Thanks so much for this recipe! I will share this with anyone I know with the same problem
Thanks Janet! Stories like this are the only reason that we do what we do. We couldn’t be happier for you. Thanks for having the courage to try new things in pursuit of a better life.
Does this work immediately or does it take a while? Thanks for any info:)
Hi Kristie! Great question. Most people report immediate results because the liver is getting what it needs for the night. Let us know how it works for you.