Problems getting (back) to sleep

Another tip I find useful during busy/stressful periods if I have too much running around my head. I
keep a notebook at the side of the bed, then when something pops into my head that 'I NEED to remember' I pop it in my notebook, instead of worrying about forgetting it in the morning. Stops me from fixating on it, and allows me to relax (edited)

The first advice is DO NOT WORRY about the sleep pattern- everything I've read says that worrying about sleep is the one factor that is guaranteed to exasperate the problem. I don't mean don't look for a solution- I mean when trying to sleep, don't fret about not sleeping.

One idea may be to brush up on your meditation skills- meditation is NOT sleeping, but relaxing- learning to let the mind relax and empty itself of momentary and long standing concerns. Many people have sleep issues down to their mental state- a mind that keeps itself too alert.

But here's the thing- as people age their sleep patterns commonly alter. When I was a kid, it was very common for middle aged people and older to 'nap' at times during the day- our foreign friends in hotter climes frequently sleep during the hotter parts of the day. This would mean, of course, far less sleep needed at night.

We do not know exactly how much sleep a given person needs, or even if significant alterations in amount of sleep are really detrimental. It is notable that many political leaders claim to have very little sleep in total each day. Also a person may find they sleep 8-10 hours+ very easily if that sleep period is NOT in the classic night period. However, for the working person, such luxury as choosing when you sleep is not likely to be possible. The idle rich often mocked the idea of being awake before mid-day. But then this was about 'owl' vs 'lark' lifestyles.

One can see your issue addressed in many novels from the late 19th, and early 20th century- when it was assumed educated people would have a book by their bedside, and would read until they fell asleep. Or, perhaps better stated, they'd read to help them fall asleep. Meanwhile the Yanks became addicted to sleep enhancing drugs- often because in the USA many people had to work two jobs and so natural sleep patterns were inhibited.

If you need to sleep- you WILL sleep. Too much sleep deprivation, and you start to micro-sleep- you head lolls forward and you are asleep, often waking up the next moment because your head did fall forward. You do NOT want to be in this state, but if you do NOT find yourself in this state, then you are not seriously sleep deprived. Now if you are experiencing this, and you drive, operate machinery, or any other activity where suddenly falling asleep can threaten your life or that of others, you must seek medical assistance- and give up such activities until the issue is addressed.

PS when we are half asleep as you describe post 2AM, we are often bad judges of exactly how much sleep we get. You may be sleeping more than you think, in which case your worrying is the problem, not your sleeping. You could try filming yourself to be sure- any sleep therapist would first want some visual proof of waht you actually experince vs what you THINK you experience.

Lots of tips by a neuroscientist Andrew D. Huberman

It's mostly pretty common advice but I'd say try not to overthink it as it ends up becoming a cyclical problem. Accept it and it'll probably go away. I used to do exercise a few hours before sleep to tire myself out, and have sensible food (bananas are good for sleep), and relaxation/mindfulness beforehand to get into the right mindset. Don't have too much liquid so you're less likely to wake for the toilet. If you do wake and you feel your mind buzzing, just get up and do something for 30 mins and then try sleeping again rather than lying still getting annoyed. Make a drink, read a little, anything other than focusing on trying to sleep. Maybe write a journal as others say and try to pinpoint the source of your disruption. Just don't look at screens (same goes 1h before bed).

I’m very similar to you. I do all my best thinking and plans at night. Also remember stuff that I had forgotten to do. I normally have 10-15 minutes really deep sleep and wake up. Expecting it to be about 4 or 5 in morning only to find its 15 mins after I got in to bed.
A sleep specialist said that if you don’t fall back to sleep in 15 minutes you should get up and leave bedroom, walk around. Then go back to bed. If you still don’t sleep after 15 minutes get up again. Apparently eventually it’s meant to train your body to relax because you won’t sleep when tons of stuff is running through your mind.
Not sure that having a sleep app or tracker is wise. It just gives you something else to worry about next day when you find how little sleep you had.
Hopefully you can establish a routine to help.

It sound like you could suffer from slight anxiety?

Sometimes I find listening to things like documentaries quietly in one ear helps me. Or going for a walk after dinner. Perhaps reading a book in the last 30 minutes before bed rather than TV or phone. But I do get it now and then, usually I would have gone to sleep and one of my kids has a nightmare and then after sorting them I'm wide awake.

i often wake up during sleep, sometimes twice in one night and i don't always fall back to sleep easily. it could take an hour before i can get back to sleep. luckily i can sleep in so i can just stay in bed longer to get the total hours of sleep that i need, but it is very stressful when you wake up and can't get back to sleep.

i find that it is often noise that wakes me up and so i wear ear plugs and i have also put black out curtains up to make the room dark to aid with falling back to sleep if i wake up and it is already daylight outside.

i try to count to 5 repeatledly and i find this helps me to fall back asleep as i find that if i don't count, i start to think about things, and that keeps me awake.

I would go to your doctor & bang the door down & get full bloods done.

Maybe try journalling out all your worries before bed i often do this.
I will then use this 4:6 breathing exercise and then another one to relax muscles by tightening and releasing.
If you`re lying awake just get up and do something else until you`re really sleepy again.
Nobodys sleep is perfect i think one of the keys in being unbothered about not sleeping and seeing resting just as good as sleeping. People who sleep well dont worry about their sleep.
You can probably get this sleep program for free that might help sleepio.com/

I'm 42 & it's something that is also happening to me, I've had loads of tests done & they just say it's stresss & anxiety. I started waking up in the middle of the night about a year or so ago & it just got worse.

This seems to be helping a bit and is on offer at the minute so worth a go.
amazon.co.uk/gp/…c=1

I listen to podcasts through earphones, one ear only (the one not resting on the pillow) knocks me out within minutes...distracts the brain I guess

Put a snoring app on your phone to monitor your sleeping. That will show you what's happening.

Avoiding caffeine after 3 pm.

You could have Nocturia. It's very common as we get older. There are things you can do though to help (edited)

Here is a helpful authoritative link :
webmd.com/sle…eep

It's a common problem for many people, so first of all, don't worry

It's annoying, though -- but a very easy thing to try, in my opinion, is to simply eat something light for your evening meal

That's it - easy advice for anyone and everyone

A couple of supplements that could help you with sleep (and also for overall health)

* 5-HTP - hollandandbarrett.com/the…tp/

* ZMA myprotein.com/the…ma/

The links above are purely for info - not necessarily the best place to buy.

- Also would not recommend drinking too late at night, the last thing you need is a full bladder wakening you once you are sleeping

- Avoid strong caffeine after 3-4pm too, especially if sensitive to it

I generally sleep really well, but have had a few brief periods in my life where it's been a struggle and it was just horrendous - I don't do well without my sleep!! Hope you manage to get a good rest tonight (edited)

I've got a pillow speaker that allows me to listen to talk radio stations. Sends me to sleep quite quickly, plus if I wake up during the night, allows me to focus on the talking, which again sends me back to sleep.

I have the same thing, no problem getting to sleep at all but we tend to sleep on 90 minute cycles so when I wake up its usually after 3 hrs or 4 hrs 30, sometimes its 6 hours but whatever sleep I get it almost always takes me an hour or 2 to get back (usually around 90 mins with the aforementioned 90 cycles)
I just wake up and my mind is going 100mph, if I lie there long enough I almost always get back to sleep but it is annoying lying there for an hour or 2 waiting to feel sleepy again
Of course if I got the hallowed 7 hrs 30 minute sleep I wouldn't need to go back to bed as that is the ideal but I can count on one hand how many times I get that in on year (edited)

You could try deep breathing exercises, it helps you to relax more. Also when I can't sleep I have an app with a timer that plays all sorts of different sounds, like rain on a roof or a waterfall etc, that often helps.

Try melatonin when you wake up at night or before you sleep. Don't have too much or it might make you really sleepy in the day time.

When you can't sleep don't stay in your bed. Just get up and walk around for a little bit. Don't turn the light on though, just have a small lamp or something on just so you don't trip over stuff. This has helped me sometimes.

Also, I've found that putting university challenge on YouTube on my phone and putting the volume really low so I can barely make out what they're saying makes me fall asleep quickly lol. I think it's a combination of the monotone voices and me having no idea what they're talking about most of the time.

I found this link today which may be able to help you link

It’s shed a bit of light on my sleep issues so I hope it helps. (edited)

has anyone looked into things like all day caffeine consumption, habits right before going to sleep and other things???

I leave my phone on charge in the living room and never take it to bed and fiddle about with it. Don't watch anything like films or tv series' right before going to sleep that can keep your mind engaged.

Interesting read :
mirror.co.uk/new…353

Might be a bit late for this advice but a therapist gave me this brilliant link and it’s helped me with my sleep ever since; you never know it might work for you.

bustle.com/p/w…458


There is an app for it too…
mysleepbutton.com/sup…di/