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Waking up through the night

(91 Posts)
Ellie Anne Sun 23-Mar-25 20:16:47

For the last few weeks I’ve been waking up around 3 or 4 am and staying awake for an hour at least, falling asleep when it’s nearly time to get up.
I’m wary of taking any over the counter medication as I have to drive most mornings.

BlueBelle Sat 13-Dec-25 05:14:43

Yes JanesandJon I m not sure why
It seems Sophie232 has resurrected an old thread !

fancyflowers and Sophie232 Why don’t you join us on the 3 am crew thread there’s lots of ‘awake in the nighters’ chatting together there you d be welcome

fancyflowers Sat 13-Dec-25 03:57:26

It's 4 am here and I have a craft fair in the morning. I have CKD and sadly, insomnia is one of the symptoms. I can usually have a nap after breakfast but there's no chance of that tomorrow.

JamesandJon33 Thu 11-Dec-25 15:42:59

Is this the third thread on waking at night ?

sophie232 Thu 11-Dec-25 15:23:29

Joining this club too! 😴 The 3-4am wake-up is exhausting, especially when you fall back asleep right before the alarm (so frustrating!). I can't take sleep meds because of my morning commute, so I've been working on the environment angle - got a Drowsy Sleep Mask to block out all light and helped me a lot. Still working on not letting my mind race when I wake up (that's the hard part!). The magnesium and honey tips here are intriguing - worth a shot!

Visgir1 Thu 08-May-25 19:49:39

I have had a similar problem, mainly due to some of the meds I take.
I was advised to take Magnesium, I checked it out with my Pharmacist, so no Contra Indications. I just went to Holland and Barrett spoke to them and they recommended one.
Omg, it's a mini miracle, slept through the night and getting back to 7-8 hrs sleep.
Might be worth a go?

Lins872 Thu 08-May-25 19:39:14

Radio 3 have an unwind programme during the night. A mixture of white noise and gentle classical music. I listen on my iPad and there is a facility to set a time when it will switch off by which time you are (hopefully) asleep

MayBee70 Thu 08-May-25 19:06:44

JackyB

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")!

In Our Time, much as I love Melvyn, is very dry isn’t it! I much prefer The Rest is History or BBC’s History Extra, but not when I’m trying to get back to sleep.

HelterSkelter1 Thu 08-May-25 19:01:00

Astelle29 do you sleep propped up a bit on several pillows? If you don't maybe being more upright could help.
I am sorry you are having a difficult time so soon after your husband's death. The stress of it all will undoubtedly affect your health. I hope you can see your GP soon. If you pose your question about antidepressants on the Bereavement forum, I am sure you will get a lot of good advice and sympathy. Sending you a hug. X

swampy1961 Thu 08-May-25 18:04:50

I often wake at between 3 and 4 in the morning and if I don't drop off quickly just read my Kindle as that will often help. I have been a bit stressed with family issues lately so that is playing on mind sometimes.
Something popped up on my phone earlier about disturbed sleep - it said to say four words - "This thought can wait" apparently the phrase acknowledges the thought without fighting it. In other words you reduce the urgency that fuels anxiety and insomnia - repeat as needed.

Blossoming Thu 08-May-25 16:52:39

Astellle29 the only time I experienced that was caused by extremely high blood pressure.

Astelle29 Thu 08-May-25 16:45:37

My husband died 5 months ago, I was a carer for 2 years and then visited in hospital for 3 months and have got run down, now have had sciatica for two months so not sleeping. Recently I wake up gasping for breath and I
Feel horrible, does anybody else get this. I did ring doctor's as I can't get out at the moment because I can hardly walk but wanted me to go on anti depressants which I don't want to do. Has anybody else had this breathing problem and how did you deal with it.

Oldbat1 Sun 06-Apr-25 20:51:22

I dont sleep well. I have/had restless legs and shooting nerve discomfort in one foot. Decided to try magnesium spray as dd suggested. Surprisingly it seems to help. Harrogate is the make im trying. I also listen to audio stories on the bbc radio plus there is a dedicated station bbc “3 unwind”. With sleep sounds etc.

crazyH Sun 06-Apr-25 16:22:43

I was told that rather than tossing and turning and trying to sleep, it’s better to get up , do some chores and then go back to bed

LadyGracie Sun 06-Apr-25 16:09:25

I wake up at least twice during the night feeling that I may spontaneously combust, my body feels hot as though I’m melting inside and I’m also sweating.

I wake up in the morning feeling exactly the same.

I probably sleep for five hours on a good night.

Baggs Sun 06-Apr-25 15:39:40

I should add that my previous comment was just to say that I've never thought waking up needing the loo during the night was strange.

On occasion, such as when I've had a cold, am repairing a broken bone, or am worried about something, I might stay awake for quite some time. When that happens I go and make a cup of tea, take it back to bed and read until I feel sleepy again. If necessary after such a night I'll have a daytime nap.

Just waking for the loo and insomnia are different things, I think. It must be horrid to regularly suffer insomnia.

Baggs Sun 06-Apr-25 15:15:00

I have woken up during the night since my teens. I go to the loo and go back to bed. I'm healthy and always have been. I get enough sleep too.

RedRidingHood Sun 06-Apr-25 13:31:28

I haven't slept through the night since 1995 when I was pregnant.
Usually it's just a couple of bathroom trips but about 3 or 4 nights a week I will be awake for 3 or 4 hours.

Primrose53 Sun 06-Apr-25 10:49:57

GP has increased dosage of my tablets and I am sleeping right through now. Last night slept from 11.30 to 9.50 this morning! I was weeing so much during the night and sometimes getting cut short on the way there that she prescribed Mirabegron on the lowest dosage but that wasn’t enough so we went up to 50mg.

Wheniwasyourage Sat 05-Apr-25 21:49:53

Sometimes I sleep through, sometimes I get up to the loo and then go back to sleep and sometimes I wake up and can’t get back to sleep. If I’m still awake after about 30 minutes, I get up and get on with the jigsaw I always have on the go. That means I don’t disturb DH and I usually go back to bed and to sleep eventually. It does seem to be part of aging!

harrysgran Sat 05-Apr-25 20:48:43

I sleep through the night maybe a few times a year I'm always amazed when it happens as my normal sleep pattern is waking fit the loo 3 times and waking between 3 and. 4 and if I do get back to sleep waking around 8

LOUISA1523 Sat 05-Apr-25 13:04:59

I'm 59 ...this has been me for the last 5 or 6 years .....just get on with it now....if I get 4 hours I'm happy

NotSpaghetti Sat 05-Apr-25 11:18:32

My statins seem to have cased this.
My GP is cutting the dose as it doesn't happen if i don't take them.. 👍
Rosuvastatin

Cressy Sat 05-Apr-25 11:08:58

I used to reach for my phone to do a bit of doom scrolling but I read about cognitive shuffling and it really works for me. Choose a short word and then using each letter in turn think of as many words as you can. Sounds simple but it seems to work. I usually do it before sleep as well as it helps switch my mind off from other thoughts.

crazyH Sat 05-Apr-25 04:32:11

Here I am at 4.20 a.m and woke up with the most mundane annoyance . My gardener is actually charging me too much to mow my itsybitsy front garden - £20. I know he only charges £30 for neighbour’s large front and back garden. It bothers me every year and then when summer’s gone , I forget about it. So what ? And now I can’t get back to sleep.😫
Helterskelter hope your treatment goes well….

HelterSkelter1 Thu 27-Mar-25 12:12:28

I have been taking a half dose....just one capsule not 2... of Magnesium Gglycinate at bedtime and although I wake during the night I have gone back to sleep quite quickly without thinking anxious thoughts.

I also have jangling/tingling body nerves since chemo. And they seem to have calmed down somewhat, Early days but there seems to have been an improvement.