Why So Many Women Can’t Sleep in Midlife
It’s 3 AM and you’re wide awake. Your body is tired, but your mind is spinning. You replay conversations, stress over tomorrow’s to-dos, or carry the weight of emotions you can’t quite name.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Insomnia is one of the most common midlife struggles, often linked to hormonal shifts, heightened stress, and emotional transitions.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, this wakefulness is more than random—it’s a signal. And understanding the body’s natural rhythms can transform the way you relate to sleepless nights.
Release: The First Step in the Phoenix Process™
In the Phoenix Process™, the first phase is Release—letting go of what no longer serves you. Just as trees shed their leaves in Autumn, you’re invited to release mental clutter, emotional weight, and tension that keep you awake at night.
When we resist this process, our bodies often speak louder—through restlessness, anxiety, or waking in the small hours of the morning. That’s where the Lung time on the TCM body clock comes in.
The Lung Hour (3–5 AM): Time to Release
According to the TCM body clock, the lungs are most active between 3–5 AM. If you often wake during this time, it may be your body calling attention to unfinished grief, stress, or the need to let go.
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Physical: Lungs replenish oxygen and clear waste.
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Emotional: Lung energy is tied to grief and the courage to release.
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Seasonal: The lungs belong to the Metal element and the season of Autumn, a time when nature teaches us to shed what no longer serves.
Mini Practices for Balance
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📝 Journal one worry or thought you’re ready to release before bed.
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🌬️ Practice calming breathwork: inhale 4 counts, exhale 8 counts.
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✋ Acupressure: press Lung 7 (outer wrist, thumb side) for 2–3 minutes.
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💭 Affirmation: “With every exhale, I let go of what no longer belongs to me.”
Other Nighttime Wakeups and the TCM Body Clock
The Lung hour is just one piece of the bigger 24-hour energy clock. Each organ has a 2-hour window of peak activity. If you wake around the same time each night, it may point to imbalance in that organ or element.
Here’s a quick overview of the nighttime hours most linked to insomnia:
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9–11 PM — Triple Burner (San Jiao): Transition
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Can’t fall asleep → overstimulation, stress, poor wind-down → imbalance of Radiance
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11 PM–1 AM — Gallbladder: Decisions & Confidence
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Waking soon after falling asleep → indecision, frustration, self-doubt → imbalance of Rise
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1–3 AM — Liver: Flow & Detox
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Waking in the middle of the night → anger, resentment, toxin overload → imbalance of Rise
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3–5 AM — Lungs: Release & Grief
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Waking at this time → grief, sadness, or difficulty letting go → imbalance of Release
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5–7 AM — Large Intestine: Elimination & Clarity
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Early rising → holding on (physically or emotionally), lack of release → imbalance of Release
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✨ Even if you sleep through these hours, your body is still processing each organ’s work. The quality of your sleep and how you feel in the morning can reflect what was happening during those phases.
Sleep as a Teacher
Insomnia doesn’t mean your body is failing—it means your body is speaking. By understanding the TCM body clock and moving through the Phoenix Process™ phases, you can transform sleepless nights into signals for healing.
📥 Free Resource: Phoenix Sleep Flowchart + Mini Guide
I created a bedside-friendly mini guide with a flowchart and simple rituals to help you release and recenter. It’s short, soothing, and easy to use at night—no overwhelm, just gentle guidance.
Inside you’ll find:
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A visual roadmap of the 5 Phoenix Process™ phases
- One spotlight example (the Lung hour) with easy rituals
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Quick prompts & practices for balancing all phases & elements
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A bedtime ritual page to anchor your nights
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