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”. 5

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

See Full Page