Key Takeaways
The quick point
Waking up in the middle of the night with a fast heartbeat and a “switched-on” mind can feel scary. In January 2026, one popular explanation points to cortisol, a stress hormone, rising at the wrong time and pushing the body into alert mode. [2]
What the body is trying to do
Cortisol is meant to follow a daily rhythm: lower during the night, higher toward morning. That rhythm supports sleep and waking. [2][3]
The simple spoon idea
A widely shared tip says to take a spoonful of raw honey with a pinch of sea salt before bed, or after waking at night, to steady blood sugar and calm the nervous system. This is a claim, not a proven cure, and it can be a poor fit for some people, especially anyone managing blood sugar problems. [4]
The practical long game
Earlier meals, fewer ultra-processed foods, morning daylight, and stress-lowering habits can support sleep over time. Repeated gasping, loud snoring, or choking at night can point to sleep apnea and deserves attention. [5]
Story & Details
The moment that wakes people up
A pattern shows up in many homes: a person falls asleep, then wakes between one and three in the morning in Mexico City, Mexico (North America), eight to ten in the morning in the Netherlands (Europe), with a racing heart and a busy mind. The feeling can be intense, like the body is on guard.
Cortisol?
In simple terms, cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal glands. It helps the body manage stress, keep blood pressure and blood sugar steady, and respond to danger. [3] It is not “bad.” It is useful. The key is timing.
A rhythm that can be knocked off
In healthy sleep, cortisol is generally lower during the first part of the night and rises toward morning. Researchers describe a normal rise in the second half of the night, and also a separate jump after waking called the cortisol awakening response. [2] When a person wakes too early and feels wired, it is easy to blame cortisol. But night waking has more than one possible driver, and the body often uses the same alarm tools for different problems.
Where blood sugar may fit
The popular clip by Dr. Javier Martinez ties the wake-up surge to unstable blood sugar during the night. The idea is simple: if blood sugar drops too low, the body may release “alarm” chemicals that make the heart beat fast and make thoughts speed up. Medical sources describe low blood sugar symptoms that can include shakiness, sweating, anxiety, and a fast or uneven heartbeat. [4] This does not prove that low blood sugar is the reason for every two a.m. wake-up, but it explains why the feeling can be so physical.
The “raw honey plus sea salt” claim
Dr. Martinez’s suggested fix is also simple. Right before sleep, or right after waking in the night, take one tablespoon of raw organic honey with a small pinch of high-quality sea salt.
The claim has two parts.
Honey: The claim is that honey gives the body a small, natural source of sugar, helping prevent a drop in blood sugar that can trigger an internal alarm. It is also said that honey’s fructose supports liver glycogen stores, giving the body a steady fuel reserve through the night.
Sea salt: The claim is that sea salt adds key minerals, especially sodium and magnesium, which support adrenal function and help the nervous system settle, lowering the “fight-or-flight” response.
These ideas are easy to understand, but they are still ideas. For someone with diabetes, reactive low blood sugar, or a plan to lose weight by lowering sugar, adding honey at night can be the wrong direction. A person taking medicines that affect blood sugar should be especially careful, because low blood sugar symptoms and sugar intake can interact in real ways. [4]
Magnesium: helpful for some, not magic for all
The clip also recommends a “high-quality magnesium” product that contains seven forms of magnesium. This is a supplement-style approach. Magnesium is a real nutrient with real roles in the body, and authoritative guidance covers dosing, interactions, and safety concerns. [6] Some studies suggest magnesium supplementation may help sleep in certain groups, but results are not universal, and form and dose matter. [6] A simple rule holds: more types in one bottle is not the same as better results.
Sleep apnea, reflux, and other look-alikes
Night waking with a pounding heart can also show up when breathing is interrupted. With obstructive sleep apnea, the airway can narrow or close during sleep, oxygen can drop, and the brain can trigger brief awakenings to restart breathing. Some people snort, choke, or gasp and do not remember the wake-up fully. [5] If gasping, loud snoring, morning headaches, or daytime sleepiness are part of the picture, sleep apnea deserves serious consideration. [5]
Habits the clip puts forward for the long run
Beyond the spoonful, Dr. Martinez adds longer-term steps.
A calmer evening: Stop eating three to four hours before bed. The aim is to let digestion quiet down and reduce sleep disruption.
Less inflammatory food: Cut seed oils, refined sugars, and processed carbohydrates, and replace them with healthier saturated and monounsaturated fats. This is presented as a way to lower inflammation and stabilize metabolism.
Daily liver support: Add bitter foods, ginger, milk thistle tea, and warm water with lemon. This is framed as support for the liver’s day-to-day work.
Morning light: Get direct morning sunlight to support the body clock and melatonin timing.
Gratitude: Practice gratitude daily as a way to lower stress and, by his claim, lower cortisol.
Some of these steps have more research behind them than others. But as a set, they point in a clear direction: stable meals, steady rhythms, less late-night stimulation, and a calmer nervous system. [2][5]
A tiny Dutch lesson for the same moment
In the Netherlands (Europe), a short Dutch phrase can name the exact experience.
Ik word om twee uur wakker.
Simple meaning: waking at two o’clock.
Word-by-word: Ik = I; word = become; wakker = awake; om = at; twee uur = two o’clock.
Tone and use: neutral, everyday speech.
Mijn hart klopt snel.
Simple meaning: the heart beats fast.
Word-by-word: Mijn = my; hart = heart; klopt = beats; snel = fast.
Tone and use: plain and direct.
Mijn hoofd staat aan.
Simple meaning: the mind feels “on.”
Word-by-word: Mijn = my; hoofd = head; staat = stands/is; aan = on.
Tone and use: informal, common in conversation.
Conclusions
A calm ending
In January 2026, the “honey and sea salt” idea is spreading because it feels simple and kind: a small spoonful, a small pinch, and the hope of steady sleep. Cortisol does have a real daily rhythm, and low blood sugar can create real alarm symptoms, including a fast heartbeat. [2][4] Still, a racing heart at night can also be a breathing problem like obstructive sleep apnea, and that path should not be missed. [5] The most useful outcome is clarity: a steady routine, food timing that supports sleep, and a plan that fits the person’s body and health.
Selected References
Clean links for deeper reading
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnLZQDSeH_I
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8813037/
[3] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003703.htm
[4] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778
[5] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631
[6] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
Appendix
Definitions, A–Z
Adrenal glands. Two small glands on top of the kidneys that make hormones, including cortisol, that help regulate stress response, blood pressure, and energy use. [3]
Blood sugar. The level of glucose in the blood. The body tries to keep it in a safe range, including during sleep. A sudden drop can trigger alarm-like symptoms. [4]
Circadian rhythm. The body’s roughly twenty-four-hour timing system. It helps set patterns for sleep, waking, and hormones such as cortisol. [2]
Cortisol. A steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands. It supports the stress response and helps regulate metabolism and immune activity, with levels changing across the day. [3]
Cortisol awakening response. A normal rise in cortisol that happens within about the first hour after waking, described as separate from the rise that occurs in the second half of the night. [2]
Fight-or-flight response. The body’s fast alarm system that prepares for action. It can increase heart rate, sharpen attention, and make the mind feel “on.”
Fructose. A type of sugar found in foods such as honey and fruit. The body can convert it and store energy in the liver as glycogen.
Glycogen. Stored glucose, mainly in the liver and muscles. It acts like a backup fuel tank between meals and during sleep.
Insulin. A hormone that helps move glucose from the blood into cells for energy or storage. Insulin and blood sugar often move together.
Magnesium. A mineral used in many body processes, including nerve and muscle function. Supplement guidance includes dosing and interaction cautions. [6]
Melatonin. A hormone linked with the sleep-wake cycle. Many people associate it with darkness and the body’s “night mode.”
Obstructive sleep apnea. A sleep disorder where the airway narrows or closes repeatedly during sleep, causing brief awakenings that restore breathing. Snorting, choking, or gasping can occur. [5]
Reactive hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar that occurs after eating in some people. Symptoms can include shakiness, sweating, hunger, and a fast or uneven heartbeat. [4]
Sea salt. Salt that contains sodium chloride and trace minerals. Sodium supports fluid balance and nerve signaling; extra salt is not suitable for everyone, especially with certain health conditions.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 