When Sleep Apnea and Insomnia Get Confused

Sleep apnea and insomnia are often talked about together, but they are very different sleep issues.

Sleep apnea is a breathing problem that happens during sleep and can cause repeated awakenings, even if you do not remember them. Insomnia is about difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested, even when you have the opportunity for sleep.

The tricky part is that symptoms like daytime fatigue, frequent awakenings, or trouble concentrating can show up with both. That overlap is one reason insomnia is so often misunderstood.

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High Cortisol Wakes You Up at 3AM (Do This to Fall Back Asleep)

In this video, Dr. Michael Breus explains the real biological reason you wake up around 3 a.m. and can’t fall back asleep: heightened arousal and cortisol activation. More importantly, he'll walk you through a simple science-backed method used successfully with thousands of patients to calm your nervous system and let sleep happen naturally—without forcing it.

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When Sleep Feels Hard to Figure Out

A home sleep study can help when insomnia and sleep apnea feel hard to separate. For a limited time, it also includes a free 28-Day Sleep Coaching Program ($199 value) from Dr. Michael Breus.

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*The 28 Day Sleep Wellness Course is included with the purchase of a Home Sleep Study. No code required. Ends January 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.

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