When i wake up i have to hack up some phlegm. ( very little) it is brown in color. i am 38 f. former smoker. i don't have a cough. is this normal?

See your doctor: Clearing mucus in the morning after sleeping flat all night is very common but most of the time there should not be a brown color to it. The source could be a number of places but as an ex-smoker it should be checked out. Sinuses can also be a source. You might need a chest xray but see your doctor.

Maybe postnasal drip: Mild nasal allergies can cause some muscus dripping in back of throat/mouth and collects there during sleep and can turn a bit brown in the am. During day, little mucus/drip is pulled down by gravity, but when sleeping mucus tends to stay in back of throat and thus productive coughing/coughing in the early am. If worsens, call doc for eval. Good luck.