Not Waking Up Feeling Like Fighting to Preserve Democracy? How You Can Wake Up Feeling More Refreshed and Energized
The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #344
First things first.
Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this publication is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice…diagnosis…or treatment.
I am not a medical doctor, and nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or a recommendation to take or discontinue any medication…supplement…or therapy.
Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health routine…diet…medications…or treatment plan.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you’ve read here.
Use of this information is at your own risk.
A Note About What is Written Below:
Over the years, I had the opportunity to work closely with high-level executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals as a consultant and personal coach—supporting them through challenges ranging from decision fatigue and burnout to performance plateaus and persistent health complaints.
While my role was never medical, it often required identifying the true root causes of what was holding them back—physically…mentally…or emotionally.
When something fell outside my scope of expertise…I never hesitated to point them toward the right professionals. I became part of a broader…collaborative effort—connecting clients with the physicians…therapists…or specialists they needed to truly move forward.
What I share here is drawn from personal notes…patterns I observed…and the strategies my clients worked through—often in partnership with medical teams—to uncover, diagnose, and address complex issues.
The goal was always the same: help them solve the real problem so they could get back to performing at their best.
I learned a great deal from those years and the experiences and people I worked with within them. I share that with you…now.
“I Must Have Slept Like Sh*t! I Feel Like Hell.” (It’s Not Always That Simple.)
You go to bed on time. You sleep 6–8 hours. Maybe even track it with an app. But you still wake up feeling like your brain’s in molasses and your body’s been steamrolled. (Yes-it sucks.)
Sound familiar? (I hope not, but…chances are….)
This isn’t just about getting more sleep—it’s about waking up refreshed. And that’s not the same thing.
Why You Might Wake Up Feeling Sluggish (Even After Enough Sleep)
Here are some of the most common, often-overlooked reasons:
1. Histamine Overload (Especially at Night)
Histamine is a wake-promoting neurotransmitter. If your body dumps too much of it overnight (common in conditions like MCAS or chronic inflammation)…it can disrupt deep sleep—even without fully waking you.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome:
It’s a chronic condition in which your mast cells — part of your immune system — become overactive and unstable…releasing histamine and other chemical mediators inappropriately or excessively.
Clues:
Flushing or sweating during the night
Vivid dreams or restless sleep
Morning headaches or “pressure” in the head
Flushing, itching, or hives
Brain fog or fatigue
Rapid heart rate or dizziness
IBS-like symptoms (bloating, diarrhea, nausea)
Headaches or migraines
Sensitivity to foods, medications, or temperature
"Flu-like" crashes without being sick
Try:
Tracking histamine-rich foods (aged cheeses, leftovers, wine, tomatoes)
Trial of H1/H2 antihistamines (with doctor guidance. For example: H1-Zyrtec. H2-Pepcid
Low-histamine diet and mast cell support (quercetin, DAO enzyme)
2. Cortisol Timing Imbalance
Cortisol should rise in the early morning to help you wake up feeling alert. If it rises too early (2–4 a.m.) or doesn’t rise enough…you’ll feel groggy no matter how long you sleep.
Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands (small glands that sit on top of your kidneys). It’s often referred to as the “stress hormone”—but that label oversimplifies its role.
What Does Cortisol Do?
Cortisol is essential for life. It helps your body:
Wake up and feel alert in the morning
Regulate blood pressure and circulation
Manage inflammation and immune response
Control blood sugar levels (glucose metabolism)
Maintain energy during physical or emotional stress
Respond to danger (fight-or-flight response)
Cortisol Follows a Daily Rhythm
This is called the “cortisol curve.”
Highest in the morning (to help you wake up)
Gradually declines throughout the day
Lowest at night (to allow restful sleep)
Disruption in this pattern can lead to:
Fatigue or sluggish mornings
Insomnia or “tired but wired” feeling at night
Brain fog, weight gain, or mood swings
Clues:
Waking at 3 a.m. with your mind racing
Fatigue even after a full night in bed
Worse energy in the morning, better at night
Try:
Avoid blue light & heavy stimulation at night
Magnesium glycinate or ashwagandha before bed (if tolerated)
Bright light exposure within 30 minutes of waking
When Cortisol Becomes a Problem
Too much cortisol (chronic stress, inflammation) → anxiety, belly fat, insomnia, high blood sugar
Too little cortisol (burnout, adrenal dysfunction, chronic illness) → fatigue, dizziness, low mood, brain fog
Cortisol Is About Balance, Not Elimination
It’s not “bad”—it’s necessary. But like any hormone…the timing and level matter more than the label.
Would you like a visual of the healthy cortisol curve or tips on how to regulate it naturally?
3. Airway Restriction / Sleep-Disordered Breathing
You don’t need full-blown sleep apnea to suffer from oxygen dips during sleep. Even mild airway issues can fragment sleep and increase inflammation.
Sleep apnea is dangerous because it silently and repeatedly cuts off your oxygen supply during sleep…putting immense stress on your body and brain over time—even if you're not aware it’s happening.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where your airway collapses or gets blocked while you sleep…causing:
Repeated pauses in breathing
Drops in blood oxygen levels
Micro-awakenings (you may not fully wake…but your brain does)
This can happen dozens to hundreds of times per night.
Why It’s So Dangerous (Even If You Don’t Feel It Yet):
1. Your Brain Gets Less Oxygen
Every time you stop breathing…oxygen dips.
Over time…this puts your brain in a chronic stress state…increasing your risk of:
Memory problems
Brain fog
Stroke
Early cognitive decline
2. Your Heart Works Overtime
Sleep apnea is strongly linked to:
High blood pressure
Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
Heart disease
Sudden cardiac death during sleep
The constant drop-spike-drop in oxygen and pressure is like red-lining your heart all night long.
3. It Disrupts Deep, Restorative Sleep
Even if you “slept 8 hours,” sleep apnea keeps pulling you out of deep sleep (slow wave and REM)—the stages where healing…memory consolidation…and hormone balance occur.
You may:
Wake up exhausted
Be irritable or depressed
Feel unmotivated, despite getting “enough” sleep
4. It Worsens Insulin Resistance & Weight Gain
Interrupted sleep and low oxygen drive inflammation…blood sugar issues…and cortisol spikes—making it harder to lose weight and easier to develop prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
Many People Have It and Don’t Know
You don't have to be overweight or snore loudly to have sleep apnea. It's underdiagnosed…especially in:
Women (symptoms often present as fatigue or depression)
Thin or average-weight people
People with TMJ, small jaws, or nasal issues
The Good News: It’s Treatable
CPAP machines are the gold standard (and quieter, smaller now)
Oral appliances for mild/moderate cases
Lifestyle changes (positional therapy, reducing alcohol, nasal breathing)
Myofunctional therapy (mouth and tongue training)
Clues:
Dry mouth in the morning
Snoring, even lightly
TMJ, mouth breathing, or jaw clenching
Try:
Mouth taping (with caution and guidance)
Elevating your head slightly
Sleep study or home sleep test (even if your weight is normal)
Sleep apnea is dangerous because it’s invisible…chronic…and systemically damaging.
But once you know it’s there—and treat it—your energy…focus…and long-term health can improve dramatically.
4. Electrolyte or Blood Sugar Imbalance
Low blood sugar overnight or poor hydration can leave you stiff…foggy…and sluggish.
Electrolyte and blood sugar imbalances may seem minor…but over time they can quietly sabotage your health…energy…mood…and even cognitive function.
Here’s how each one works—and why ignoring them can keep you stuck in cycles of fatigue…fog…or flare-ups:
Electrolyte Imbalances
(Essential minerals: sodium…potassium…magnesium…calcium, chloride)
Why They Matter:
Electrolytes control your nervous system…hydration…muscle contraction…and cellular energy. When they're off…your body can't fire on all cylinders.
What Happens When They’re Off:
Low sodium → dizziness…fatigue…brain fog
Low magnesium → muscle cramps…anxiety…poor sleep
Low potassium → irregular heartbeat…weakness…fatigue
Imbalance overall → poor fluid retention…low blood pressure…headaches…and chronic fatigue-like symptoms
Subtle Signs:
Feeling “off” after sweating or heat exposure
Lightheadedness when standing up
Waking up stiff or dehydrated
Craving salt or electrolytes
Clues:
Craving carbs or caffeine first thing
Lightheaded on standing
Muscle aches or tension
Try:
Small protein-rich snack before bed (like nut butter or collagen + carbs)
Electrolytes in the morning (sodium, potassium, magnesium)
Reduce alcohol, which depletes minerals
5. Inflammation or Chronic Conditions
Conditions like fibromyalgia…MCAS…Lyme disease…or autoimmune disorders can lead to non-restorative sleep…even when you’re asleep for the “right” amount of time.
Inflammation and chronic conditions can quietly and powerfully undermine both your sleep quality and your overall health—even if you’re technically “getting enough sleep.”
The effects are often systemic, invisible…and misattributed to aging…stress…or “just life.” But make no mistake: chronic inflammation is one of the biggest health disruptors we overlook.
How Inflammation Disrupts Sleep
1. It Interferes With Deep Sleep
Chronic inflammation elevates levels of cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-alpha…which have been shown to reduce the amount of time you spend in deep…restorative sleep (slow-wave and REM stages). You may be asleep, but you’re not recovering.
The result: You wake up exhausted, foggy…or feeling like you’ve been “hit by a truck.” (A BIG Ass Truck.)
2. It Raises Nighttime Cortisol
Inflammation acts like a physiological stressor—triggering your body to release cortisol at the wrong times (especially at night). This makes it harder to:
Fall asleep
Stay asleep
Wake up feeling rested
It’s a vicious loop: poor sleep drives inflammation…and inflammation destroys sleep quality.
3. It Causes Physical Discomfort
Many chronic conditions linked to inflammation—like fibromyalgia…autoimmune disorders…MCAS…arthritis…or even gut issues—cause:
Aches, pain, or stiffness
GI discomfort or bloating
Migratory joint pain
These symptoms often flare at night or in the early morning…disrupting sleep cycles and preventing true rest.
4. It Hijacks Your Nervous System
Chronic inflammation activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight mode), and turns down the parasympathetic system (rest-and-digest). That means your body can’t “power down” properly…even when your brain wants to sleep.
You may feel tired but wired… and never quite settled.
Clues:
Morning stiffness or flu-like aches
Foggy head, better later in the day
Known inflammation markers (CRP, ANA, ESR)
Why This Matters Beyond Sleep
Inflammation isn’t just a sleep problem—it’s a whole-body problem. When chronic inflammation is running in the background, it drives:
Fatigue
Brain fog
Mood swings
Poor immune function
Hormonal imbalances
Weight gain or muscle loss
And because inflammation doesn’t always feel like pain, many people live with it for years—thinking it's just “normal aging.”
What You Can Do About It
Step 1: Look for Clues
Morning stiffness or fog
Waking unrefreshed
Digestive issues
Migrating aches or flares
Trouble staying asleep
Step 2: Start Calming the Fire
Try anti-inflammatory nutrition (less sugar, processed oils, more colorful plants and omega-3s)
Support gut health (which modulates inflammation)
Consider gentle mast cell support (quercetin, magnesium, DAO if needed)
Look at nervous system regulation (deep breathing, vagus nerve activation)
Talk to your doctor about checking CRP, ESR, ANA, and other markers if symptoms persist
If you’re waking up exhausted…achy, foggy…or anxious—and your sleep tracker says you “slept fine”—don’t ignore it. Chronic inflammation or an undiagnosed condition might be stealing your recovery every night.
6. Mental Fatigue or Trauma-Linked Sleep Disruption
Even when sleep seems “fine,” your nervous system may be locked in a chronic state of hypervigilance from trauma…grief…or anxiety.
Mental fatigue and trauma-linked sleep disruption are two of the most underestimated enemies of good health.
They don’t just undermine sleep—they interfere with your brain’s ability to rest…reset… and recover…even when you think you're getting enough hours in bed.
Mental Fatigue: The Invisible Drain
Mental fatigue isn’t the same as physical exhaustion. It’s the result of prolonged cognitive effort…emotional strain…or sensory overload—and it accumulates slowly.
What It Does:
Keeps your brain in “on” mode at night…unable to fully shut down
Reduces the quality of REM sleep…impairing emotional regulation
Causes non-restorative sleep…even after 8 hours
Worsens morning brain fog…decision fatigue…and irritability
Mental fatigue also blunts motivation and clarity…making everyday tasks feel overwhelming—and slowly draining your drive over time.
Trauma-Linked Sleep Disruption: A Nervous System on Alert
For those with past trauma (emotional, physical, or even medical), the body can subconsciously stay in defense mode…even while asleep.
This activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight), preventing the body from dropping into deep sleep stages where repair and regulation happen.
Common Results:
Nightmares or emotionally charged dreams
Waking up at 2–4 a.m. with racing thoughts
Feeling exhausted…edgy…or unmotivated in the morning
Sleep onset anxiety (dread at bedtime)
Increased inflammation…cortisol…and stress sensitivity
⚡ The body remembers what the mind tries to ignore.
How They Both Undermine Health
Whether it’s mental burnout or trauma imprinting, the outcome is similar:
Poor memory and concentration
Heightened anxiety or depression
Poor sleep architecture (less deep & REM sleep)
Immune system suppression
Chronic fatigue…aches…or hormonal dysregulation
Over time, this can fuel a cycle where you’re tired but can’t sleep…or you sleep but never feel restored—keeping your brain and body locked in survival mode.
What Helps Break the Cycle
For Mental Fatigue:
Reduce mental clutter before bed (journal, brain dump, guided meditation)
Set boundaries on information overload (screens, social media)
Try Yoga Nidra or NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest) protocols
Lower evening light/stimulation to support melatonin
For Trauma-Linked Sleep Issues:
Breathwork or vagus nerve activation (humming, cold exposure, deep exhale)
Gentle somatic therapy or EMDR (trauma-informed work)
Weighted blanket (for some, it helps create a sense of safety)
Therapy or coaching to process unresolved patterns
You can’t fix trauma with a sleep tracker. And you can’t “power through” mental fatigue with willpower or supplements.
But when you recognize the role of your nervous system in sleep quality—and create safety, calm, and recovery—you give your body permission to finally let go.
And that is where real healing…energy…and focus begin.
Let’s Look at the Big Picture:
How to Start Solving It
Keep a 7-day sleep & wake-up journal: Track when you sleep…how you feel waking, food/supplements…and physical/emotional symptoms.
Choose 1–2 things to experiment with at a time: More isn’t better. Start slow and track results.
Work backward from the morning: If you feel awful at 7 a.m….your body was likely struggling at 3–5 a.m.
Your Goal Isn’t Just Sleep. It’s Recovery.
Anyone can “sleep.”
But waking up sharp, steady, and clear-headed? That’s a sign your body is repairing, balancing, and detoxing properly.
If that’s not happening, there’s a reason—and it’s figure-out-able.
As you begin to explore what’s really going on beneath the surface—and start addressing it in a way that actually works for you—you may find that something shifts.
You might notice yourself waking with more clarity…more energy…and a quiet readiness to handle what matters most.
Whether that’s raising your family…showing up fully for your community…or staying sharp and focused in the fight to preserve democracy…it often becomes easier—almost automatic—once your body and mind are no longer weighed down by something they were never meant to carry in the first place.
And you don’t have to get it all perfect… just start with one thing…and let that forward momentum do what it naturally does.
I be back soon…with even more!
Warmly,
Jack
Medical Disclaimer:
The information provided in this publication is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
I am not a medical doctor, and nothing in this content should be interpreted as medical advice or a recommendation to take or discontinue any medication, supplement, or therapy.
Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health routine, diet, medications, or treatment plan.
Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you’ve read here.
Use of this information is at your own risk.
You didn’t include hormonal night sweats - they can happen at any life stage, not just menopause.
Thank you Jack as always,
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-mass-deporation-stephen-miller-rcna210396