Anyone else wake at 3am and start overthinking?

I think most people have this 'three in the morning' problem, talking of which, don't problems seem scary at that time? I find listening to BBC Sounds on my phone works (with an earpiece so it doesn't wake up my other half), or similarly go online to BBC Radio4 or Radio 4 Extra Daily Schedules, where you'll find their weekly lists of programmes. I can guarantee once you start listening to a programme you really want to hear (last night for me it was Donald Sinden in a very good play called 'The Final Twist' on R4Extra), I bet you drift off to sleep within 10 minutes in spite of wanting to listen. (No worries, you can always re-listen). This ALWAYS happens to me! Guess Dr. Freud would have something to say about my never hearing all of the programme I want to, but hey, if it works . . .
I finished listening to 'The Final Twist' at 6:30 this morning because that's when I woke up.

I think of a three letter word and then starting with the first letter I think of things starting with that letter and visualise it. I've never managed to get to the second letter yet.

And the same I can’t get to sleep and then I fall asleep and then I wake up wide-awake start worrying about stuff so in the past I’ve got up and started mopping the floor.
Once I’ve been through downstairs with the mop and I get back in bed and try to sleep.
It does work for me. Takes my mind off stuff.

I listen to audiobooks on my phone, with an ear bud in just one ear. I also wear an eye mask, which doesn’t allow any light in. I usually wake up in the night several chapters further on and have to find my way back to the last things I heard. I carry on listening, so no worrying thoughts, and usually fall asleep again for several hours. I’ve been doing this for years, and always sleep well.

Waking at 3am and eating chocolate. Anyone……?

I have always had this. I have audible...or podcasts .. or in the old days tapes or cds with stories on. I now have a snoozeband so when i wake up can have something not too demanding....(often stories of Henry 8th), and just listen to these. I actually use this to get to sleeo anyway and its a bit of a pavlovian response gor me...put on a story and i am off.

I've trained my brain to allow 10 to 20 minutes in the morning, you can choose any time, but it must be day time to worry about anything and everything. If I wake in the night or start worrying just as I get into bed I say to myself no this isn't my worry time I can only use my day time slot. It took me some weeks but it really helps.. Brain training they call it. I also use winding down strategies in the evening, a bath is good for me. You find your own thing. I also take a magnesium tablet in the evening...I think it helps me. If I do wake usually about 4 am it's cos I need a pee! If at anytime I start worrying I' tell myself STOP you can worry in the morning for 10 minutes or so. I've somehow accepted it as it was driving me nuts. So your still allowing yourself to worry but you're controlling when.

I'm often still awake at 3 am from over active brain on going to bed.
I usually get up, make a cuppa and read a while..living alone I'm not disturbing anyone. When my husband was alive I would sit in the dark drink8ng my cuppa..

If you hear of any tips please let me know for a few years now I’ve had problems sleeping, even over the counter sleeping pills don’t work.
I’m tossing and turning and crying because I can’t sleep I often come downstairs and make a mug of hot milk to no avail, I’ve often still been awake listening to the birds morning chorus
The trouble is when I’m awake at night I tend to reminisce about old times when my children were little and I was still with their father (even though I’ve been married to a wonderful man for over 25 years)
I then have morbid thoughts about death and that also makes me cry cos I don’t want to leave the grandchildren, I’m 66 but feel I’m at the end of my life maybe it’s because I’m in permanent pain, and I think probably grieving for the fit independent woman I used to be

I wish I did and feel for u . Everything is so overwhelming in middle of the night . Breathing exercises are ok but hard to do if u have reached the panic stage . I read that running your wrists under very cold water can help and it kind of resets your brain . I have tried a few nights and worked a bit .

Try Ian Payne on LBC if you’re awake at 4am. He’s on between 4am and 7am Monday to Friday. He’s different and quite refreshing - his own fan club seems to have formed!

Daffonanna

This happens occasionally and my brain whirrs round uselessly . I find it helps if I get up , make a hot drink , take it back to bed and read until I feel sleepy . If I go back to sleep , coffee effects wake me up at normal time . If not I just accept I’m making an early start on the day .

I do this! I also have a biscuit with the hot drink as I think I’m waking due to a dip in my sugar levels. I may be wrong but it seems to work.

CanadianGran

I listen to a podcast. The History Extra one usually sends me to sleep quite quickly! You can set a timer.

I used to listen to books, but would never make it more than 15 minutes, so podcasts are shorter and I don't mind if I miss some of the info by falling asleep.

I have had exactly the same problem and podcasts are the answer for me too. Works for my brother as well. If you are not sleeping alone there are good pillow earphones incorporated into headbands, but I can sleep with an earbud in, or even wired earphones, but I prefer the wireless option.

(I often have to drive along the motorway to see my mum and really don't want to drive if I have not had enough sleep - not safe for me or other roadusers.)

16:18Tingtong23

I take magnesium glycinate an hour before bed; drink hot milk, honey, turmeric and ginger before bed. It helps me to sleep.

I have a number of Audible books and podcasts. They often send me back to sleep. The best I find are comedic, eg Alan Partridge and John Cooper Clark.

I read my Kindle! A good enough book soon takes your mind off uncomfortable things.

BBC 4Extra is great for some gentle dramas and comedies to quiet the early hours mind.

Every single night!!

I am often awake at ungodly hours, as back can wake me up etc. When I am worried about something serious I find even reading, my mind still chuntering on. So I count back in threes, from a thousand. If I forget where I am up to, I go back to the beginning. The odd numbers mean you have to concentrate, and you can do it in the dark. So that does help to blank out other thoughts.

I've taken to listening to podcasts on my phone to help me sleep, I keep them running through the night so when I wake up, instead of thinking about things I concentrate on listening to the podcast until I drift off to sleep again

I either can't get to sleep in the first place and end up reading for an hour or so or else I wake around 4.30/5am in which case I know I won't get back to sleep so I get up, make a milky decaf drink and go back to bed to read, end up getting up around 6am and being worn out for the rest of the day. Have tried lying there, deep breathing and all the usual things but just get more and more frustrated so better for me to just get a drink and read.

The Calm app is great. I have very rarely reached the end of a story. Some voices are better than others but the stories especially the non fiction are interesting and informative. Well worth the annual charge.

Going through my in box I was about to delete the following post
BBC Science focus Lunchtime Genius (daily email on lots of different science subjects. Short articles)
Tuesday 2nd Dec subject.- 11 surprisingly simple fixes for dramatically better sleep

yes I do this a lot. I start thinking about things...even have conversations with myself. usually lasts for couple of hours.

I've tried magnesium supplements a couple of times for a period of 30 days each. Doesn't seem to make any difference at all.