Tim Phillips Show, 10/9/26

Do you find yourself waking up at 3 a.m. every night? If it happens to you so much you feel like your body has an alarm you didn’t set, you’re not alone. Millions of people wake up at the exact same time every night and it turns out, it’s not random, your body is doing it on purpose … but why?

It can be tempting to blame ghosts, the foot of your kid kicking you after sneaking into your bed, or that after-lunch latte, but there are some much more likely reasons.

Your stress hormones are messing with you - Cortisol, the stress hormone, helps regulate everything from sleep-wake cycles to metabolism and immune responses, but it can also do some weird stuff when your stress levels are off the charts. Waking up regularly when it’s still pitch black outside is one of the first things to happen when your levels are out of whack because of chronic stress.

Blood sugar dips and rollercoasters - If that middle of the night wake-up has you feeling a weird mix of anxiety and nausea, it could be your blood sugar levels crashing. Research shows that unstable sugar levels can lead the body to hit the panic button and release adrenaline and cortisol to get levels back up, ruining sleep in the process with sudden wake-ups, nightmares, cold sweats, and a disoriented feeling.

Your liver is working the night shift - In traditional Chinese medicine, each organ is most energetically active for a two-hour window and some experts say your liver is most active and doing its nightly detox magic between 1 and 3 a.m. Western medicine may not agree with the organ clock theory, but it agrees that the liver is extra busy at night.

You’re running on a terrible sleep schedule - If you go to bed at different times every night, your internal clock isn’t happy because it loves structure. When you have an irregular sleep schedule, your body may push back with disrupted sleep that throws off your system and the brain may try to “correct” it by waking up at the same time every night.

You’ve trained yourself to wake up - If you’ve been waking up at the same time for weeks, or worse months or years, the body starts to see that time as part of your routine. It’s a broken loop, and once it starts, it’s hard to break, especially if you reinforce the habit by getting out of bed or checking your phone.

So don’t let carbs and cortisol haunt you, try to fix the stuff that may be messing up your sleep. Start with sticking to a consistent sleep-wake schedule, eating dinner with protein and fiber, and avoiding doomscrolling before bed since it can spike anxiety. And with any luck, you’ll break the cycle and start snoozing through 3 a.m.

Source: Scary Mommy

Reynolds Market Deal of the Day - Friday: Old Milwaukee 30-packs $16.99

Friday Flashback - Be There    Howie Day 2009
Fallin' For You    - Colbie Caillat
You Belong With Me -    Taylor Swift
Use Somebody - Kings of Leon

Barack Obama becomes the 44th U.S. president 

Swine flu struck tens of millions of people worldwide 

A US Airways passenger jet, both its engines disabled, made an emergency ditching in the Hudson River, and all 155 on board survived in what was dubbed "The Miracle on the Hudson." The veteran pilot, Chesley Sullenberger, was hailed as a hero for averting a disaster.

 Steelers top the Cardinals 27-23 in the Super Bowl

 Yankees beat the Phillies 4 games to 2 to win the World Series

Top TV

A new study suggests that when you eat breakfast may matter almost as much as what you eat. Researchers found that people who ate breakfast earlier in the day tended to have a lower risk of dying from heart disease and other causes, while regularly delaying the first meal of the day was linked to poorer long-term health outcomes. Experts say eating earlier may help keep the body's internal clock, metabolism, and blood sugar levels in sync. While the study doesn't prove that a late breakfast directly shortens lifespan, it adds to growing evidence that meal timing could play a role in overall health and longevity. So then, when is the ideal breakfast time? Experts say it's between 7 and 8 a.m. 

Tim's News You Can't Use 

National Sneakers Day: A good day to wear your favorite kicks.
People started calling soft rubber-soled shoes “sneakers” back in the late 1800s. The name came from how quietly they moved on the floors.
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Denny’s syrup-filled sneakers are back for National Sneaker Day after last year’s version sold out in just 60 seconds. Sticky Kicks 2.0 once again feature real syrup inside the sidewalls and toe box, with new touches including syrup-scented tags, diner-inspired laces and a QR code for free pancakes with a qualifying purchase. The shoes were made available exclusively to Denny’s Rewards members during a three-hour window early this morning. If you’re hoping to get a pair this year, expect to pay a premium from a reseller.
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If your dog sleeps in your bed, good news: they may not be the sleep thief you thought they were! A new study tracked 25 people and 38 dogs over four weeks and found that sharing a bed with your furry friend didn't significantly affect sleep quality or how long people slept. In fact, researchers discovered that humans were often the ones waking up and disturbing their dogs, not the other way around. The study found that people and their pups tend to sync up their nighttime movements, but owners usually start moving first. And while some dog owners felt like their pets were disrupting their rest, the activity trackers didn't back that up. So go ahead and let your dog curl up beside you tonight. Science says they may be the more considerate sleeper.

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The NY Post says Pepsico announced yesterday that they will be hiking prices on various colas and chips, including Doritos, Ruffles, and SunChips. The move comes after the company previously insisted that they would work hard to save consumers money. Pepsico says it needs to raise prices to offset rising costs of fuel, aluminum and agricultural supplies.
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The NY Post and Finance Buzz say Halloween candy costs have climbed by 71% since 2021. A 100-piece bag of assorted Halloween candy costs $16.96 this year, up 3.5% from last year.  That puts the average cost at roughly 17 cents per piece. A 75-piece bag at Target in Times Square costs $20.68, or about 28 cents per piece.
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Ghostbusters News says the electric car company Rivian is celebrating Halloween by teasing a new electric Ghostbustersmobile. They teased the collaboration with Sony Pictures yesterday with a 13-second teaser and the message, “There’s something strange coming to your neighborhood. Stay tuned.” The Rivian Ectomobile bears the no-ghost logo.
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Atari is taking retro gaming to a new extreme by releasing a new version of the iconic eight-bit Atari 800XL home computer, which was originally released in 1983. Priced at $219, this new machine comes pre-loaded with 25 classic games such as Asteroids, Centipede, Battlezone, and Missile Command. And while the engineers updated it with USB ports and an HDMI video output, the system will still be controlled by those uncomfortable vintage joysticks.
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Shoppers in the Northeast will see 3D-printed meat in supermarket aisles before the end of the year. Steakholder Foods is launching its new line of printed plant products designed to mimic the exact look, texture, and taste of real cuts of meat. The initial lineup includes printed marbled steak, filet mignon, chicken breast, salmon, and white fish patties. By using 3D printers, the company hopes to solve long-standing complaints about bland plant-based foods — and offer a juicy alternative to conventional meat. We'll soon see if they pulled this off.
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United Press International says 61-year-old Canadian fitness enthusiast DonnaJean Wilde recently held an abdominal plank for five hours. She broke her own Guinness World Record. Wilde made the attempt during the opening ceremonies of the Senior Games in Utah. Her previous record, set in 2024, was four hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds.
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WNEM says scammers are using QR codes to steal personal information from unsuspecting people. 82-year-old Thomas Clark, of Holly, Michigan, is out $3,000 after a scam that began while he was setting up a new TV.  Clark bought a Vizio television and found a QR code in the box instead of setup instructions. After scanning it, he says a caller asked for pictures of the TV, his receipt, driver’s license and a utility bill to prove he hadn’t stolen it.  The caller then claimed Clark’s account was under attack and directed him to buy gift cards, which Clark says the scammers redeemed. Within three days, his checking and savings accounts were emptied and his credit cards had been used.  Clark estimates the initial loss at $12,000 to $14,000; although credit card companies have restored some money.
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CBS says a former Plymouth  Massachusetts cafeteria worker used school money, food  and supplies to stock his seasonal restaurant on Sandy Neck Beach.  The scheme ran for 11 years. School funds paid for refrigerators, a freezer, fryers and other kitchen equipment, while school- and USDA-supplied food and supplies went to the restaurant.  The worker also had fellow cafeteria workers slice turkey and ham to sell there, and ordered $3,000 in premium burger patties with school funds. After pleading guilty, he was sentenced to six months in prison, two years of supervised release and a $2,000 fine.
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A Philadelphia man proposed to his girlfriend after their car was caught in a 69-vehicle pileup on a South Carolina bridge. Kevin Cossa and Meghan Quinn were heading south for a vacation on October 1st when thick fog helped trigger the crash on Interstate 95 over Lake Marion. After getting out to check that others were safe, they were told to leave the bridge, and Cossa grabbed the ring. He had planned to propose the following day, but decided there might never be another moment quite like that one. Quinn said yes, and the couple was later treated at MUSC Health Orangeburg, where staff learned their engagement story. The pileup injured dozens of people and left at least one vehicle on fire, but no deaths were reported. 
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A South Florida luxury hotel says nearly 200 lobster tails vanished from its kitchen inventory, and police believe a former employee may be responsible. Investigators say 37-year-old Diego Alfredo Medina Acosta was caught on surveillance video moving a cart loaded with lobster from a storage area at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Police say the hotel discovered more than $7,800 worth of missing food, including 192 lobster tails valued at over $6,500. Investigators allege footage showed the cart returning with some of the lobster missing. Medina Acosta was arrested on a grand theft charge and has pleaded not guilty. Court records show he was released on a $2,500 bond, and the case is still pending. (Wealth of Geeks)