Why does my cat hate my sleep schedule?

I'm at my wit's end with my mischievous cat, who seems to have a personal vendetta against my kitchen table at 3am every morning. Without fail, I'm woken up by the sound of something crashing to the floor - it's like she has a sixth sense for knowing exactly when I'm in my deepest sleep. I've tried moving everything to high shelves, but she just finds new ways to get to it. Is anyone else out there dealing with a nocturnal little troublemaker, and do you have any idea why they do this?