Waking up through the night

Sorry, not blood pressure
Change in blood sugar (as in low)

I read recently that waking up in the night around the same time could be due to a change in blood pressure

I've heard of the medieval idea of the "Second Sleep" too and find that thought reassuring on any "difficult" nights.

Other things - keeping a lightweight novel type book by my bedside in case I decide to read for a while. Getting up and making myself a hot milky drink (heated milk with a bit of cacao or carob in my case and I sprinkle a bit of nutmeg on top - as that's supposed to be soporific). Occasionally I figure maybe it means I've not eaten enough and, if that's the case then I'll have say a slice of toast with my milky drink.

Also it's helpful to keep a notebook and biro by my bed - in case I get useful ideas or something and then I can get it off my mind by writing it down to clear my mind and make sure I don't forget it by the morning.

It does help to know that most days I'm able to get up in the morning when I decide I will (being retired) and so there's not the same mental pressure of "gotta get back to sleep - as I've got work again tomorrow and must be okay for that").

PamelaJ1 Avorstatin have me terrible nightmares

I go to bed between 10.30 and 11.30.
I usually have a whisky before bed. I don’t know if that is good or bad. I might try magnesium.

25Avalon

Welcome to the club. That is the prime time to wake up.
I’ve tried counting and am now proficient at counting to 1,000 forwards and even backwards at a fast rate😂 Thinking of a name of something such as flowers for every letter of the alphabet keeps me awake working on letters I can’t think of a flower for😂 Some of my friends take magnesium supplements which they swear by for a good night’s sleep. I haven’t tried it yet as I’ve not had so many episodes of waking up in the night. It depends what I’ve been doing in the day.

I take Magnesium Citrate, 1 hour before bed. It gives me a good night's sleep. It also makes me regular and not constipated.

This is so interesting and very reassuring! I like the idea of not stressing about it. Does anyone find that red wine helps or hinders sleep? What about warm milk with a splash of whisky?

iF it is about 3 or 4 am then if I need the loo I go, and back to bed light off and start counting backwards from 1000 in threes. It is good as quite boring and stops me thinking of things to worry about.The other thing I do is have a notebook and pen by the bed, so that if there is something worrying me it is written down and then can let it leave my mind until the morning.

When I am wide awake I just accept it and usually read for a while . Then when I start to feel weary I switch the light off and hope for the best. I take a sip of water if I need it but dont make a drink or have anything to eat before 6am. So I am trying to keep to a sensible pattern and not let my body get used to midnight feasts!! If I have had a few bad nghts, I tend to fall asleep sometime in the afternoon, which annoys me as I miss things and dont know how it happens so cannot use that toget to sleep at other times. After 5am I give in and get up!!

I have never, ever slept " through "..even as a youngster. It used to bother me but I appreciate it's my normal rhythm.
I found it helpful when I read about the concept of the" Second sleep "
In Medieval ( and presumably, other eras too ) people did not expect to stay asleep all night.
They expected to wake in the early hours. After all ,they probably went to bed at sunset.
When they woke they took the opportunity to eat , work , read , make love etc etc.
They then returned to bed for their " second sleep "
I found understanding this helpful.
I have been known to scrub the kitchen floor before going back to bed for my second sleep.

Have you tried goint to bed an hour later than you used to?

If you wake up during the night, either you don't need as much sleep as usual, or else there is an external factor wakening you, or some unacknowleged worries.

Have you neighbours who have changed their routine? Maybe working shifts and leaving for work at a time that wakens you, as they drive off? Any sounds in the night that you react to? A smoke alarm "churpping" because its battery will soon need replacing?

Or is there something worrying you?

I've been like this some nights since I lost my husband 18 months ago. When I wake up in the early hours I use the Audible app on my phone and listen to a podcast or a book read by someone with a soothing voice, my favourite is Steven Fry. I set the timer for 30 mins and I'm rarely still awake when it turns off.

I have had this problem for a while and posted about it a few weeks ago. I will say my stress situation has improved a bit and my mind is less noisy, one thing I picked up from the GN responses was the CALM App, i now use this to get me back to sleep, I find it really works, I have not yet managed to stay awake to hear the end of any of the sleep stories Sometimes just some of the sounds available are enough. I hope you find something that works for you.

I had a similar problem and started using a weighted blanket which worked for me. I think you just have to try different things to find what works best for you. I do sympathise though I found it so frustrating and was constantly feeling tired.

The good thing is that most of us I assume are retired, so there is no stress about having to get up early.

I have now decided to use the time to my advantage and perhaps sort out the menu for the week, shopping, banking balance answer E-mails and even going onto GN as my head is pretty clear at that time of night.

I have suffered from Restless Leg syndrome for many years. Eventually the doctor prescribed 2 x Pramipexole at bed time = bliss and a sound sleep every night. Now the prescription has been reduced to 1 pill per night because one of my other medications is not compatible with the pramipexole. Now I experience the jumping legs and arms every other night or when seated on a long journey. The worst time ever was an overnight transatlantic flight from Canada hours and hours when we were ordered to sit with seatbelts on (due to misbehaviour of a junior football team)

I'm usually awake between 2 and 5 am. I have decided I must start using the time for something productive (but quiet) rather than lying there trying to get to sleep, reading, doing puzzles or frittering away time on YouTube or similar.

I have started a new crochet project so that's one idea.

Like others, I listen to audiobooks or podcasts, but they don't always help me get back to sleep. (Except "In our time")!

I've just started taking magnesium complex with zinc and it really seems to be helping.

You don’t say what time you go to bed - if you go about 9pm and wake up at 3.30am , that’s not bad - you’re getting about 6 and a half hours of sleep.
I go to bed at 12.30 and wake up at 3.30am for a loo break and then after tossing and turning, ‘sleep’ till about 8.45a.m.

Magnesium Glycinate is the one to help sleep problems and I also take half a teaspoonful of Manuka Honey at bedtime.

I discovered that the honey helped when I had Shingles in the roof of my mouth before Christmas and the Manuka eased the soreness..... but suddenly I was sleeping better.

I’m the same. I tell myself I have to open my eyes and I’m not allowed to close them under any circumstances. That helps me stop back off as it’s so hard to keep them open.

Welcome to the club. That is the prime time to wake up.
I’ve tried counting and am now proficient at counting to 1,000 forwards and even backwards at a fast rate😂 Thinking of a name of something such as flowers for every letter of the alphabet keeps me awake working on letters I can’t think of a flower for😂 Some of my friends take magnesium supplements which they swear by for a good night’s sleep. I haven’t tried it yet as I’ve not had so many episodes of waking up in the night. It depends what I’ve been doing in the day.

I wake at 3am now every night and have done for the last three months, it’s very annoying ! I rarely get back to sleep and am constantly tired.
I’ve got mild sciatica so not sure if it’s that. If I take a paracetamol I can usually go back to sleep but know these aren’t good for me. I’ve also tried Kalms but they make me dizzy, Phenergan is also good but I find it very strong and cut a 25mg tablet in four, and I’m still irritable next day.

It’s perfectly normal as we get older we sleep shorter chunks The fact you go back to sleep is great stop worrying about it and accept sleep changes as we get older

Yes in the same club! Pamela you should ask for a change of statin

Yes I'm afraid many of us of a certain age belong to the 'broken sleep club' needing the loo is one reason, but I'm awake anyway usually 3ish, hard to get off again, if I do, like you when it's time to wake.