Early morning waking-what is your technique for getting back to sleep?

[night cycler]

So this is basically about people waking anytime from 4am onwards and not being able to get back to sleep even though you are very tired.

Usually after a wasted hour of trying to go back to sleep I get up, and maybe attempt the crossword, hang some washing out and not much else-I simply feel shattered. Eventually I go back but so much time is wasted.

If this has affected you, what have you tried and what has worked for you?

 

[ianrauk]

A cup of tea usually does the trick for me. I try not to check mobile or internet otherwise time gets wasted.
So a nice chair with a cuppa.

 

[iandg]

Controlled breathing, mindfulness and visualisation.

 

[Venod]

Repeating the word "THE" over and over, stops the mind thinking of other things.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I remember I have to go to work
Works everytime lol!

 

[swee'pea99]

Don't know whether it'll help or even whether it's true, but I made a real breakthrough with insomnia when I read somewhere that a body gets around 90% of the benefit of sleeping simply by lying still & quiet in a dark place...which means you don't have to worry if you can't get back to sleep, it doesn't matter that much. So you stop worrying about it. Next thing you know, you're waking up in the morning, because not worrying about it enabled you to drop off. Like I say, might be BS, but it worked for me.

 

[marinyork]

All the sleep hygiene stuff says get up for a bit go physically somewhere different from your bed and do some kind of distraction or relaxation activity.

I find the mindfulness works as well.

 

[alicat]

^^^ wot @swee'pea99 said.

 

[vickster]

For me it’s usually due to pain, so a couple of paracetamol

 

[MikeG]

My wife has suffered insomnia for years. She has tried everything that everyone here has suggested, and more. None of it works in the long term. In fact, it seems difficult to test the claim that it works in the short term given that insomnia is often unpredictably intermittent. All of you who suffer insomnia have my very great sympathy. It's a horrible thing for those of us who sleep easily and well to contemplate.

 

[Fnaar]

I've been insomniac for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I shared a bedroom with my 2 brothers, and I can remember listening to the sounds of them snoozing and snoring while I lay awake just wanting to sleep
These days I put a list of my favourite podcast on and try to fall asleep to it. Have got used to it over the years. If sleep doesn't happen, I just try to rest, not think too much, and stay calm.

 

[lane]

I don't really suffer that much - but occasionally seem to lie awake all night. I read or heard somewhere I think - don't worry about it - the sleep you don't get tonight you will get some other time - and that's how I tend to view things.

I was also reading recently that people who claimed to hardly ever sleep - when they were tested in a lab got more sleep than they thought. I tend to suspect that when I think I have been awake all night I probably haven't been, I just haven't slept very well. I remember when I was on a weekend away with some other people and I was awake all night - or so I thought. Then in the morning one of the people apologised that their baby was crying a lot at night - but I hadn't head it!

Don't know how much help that is to the OP, but the only advice I can really give is try not to worry about it.

 

[Electric_Andy]

I have some water, a quick vape on my e-cig and get up to the loo. Doing anything to break the cycle of lying there thinking usually works for me

 

[Biker Joe]

The worst thing you can do is TRY to get back to sleep. Don't think about getting back to sleep, just lay there quiet, enjoy the comfort of the bed, the stillness, the peace and quiet. Don't engage in active thought. Stretch out then relax. If you don't doze off it's OK. You are resting and enjoying the moment.

 

[Mrklaw]

Controlled breathing, mindfulness and visualisation.

This. I'll even share my specifics although it might sound crazy (basically you're looking for anything that'll calm you down, and like remembering things - crazy can help keep it vivid in your mind)

for breathing I do the usual - breath in for a slow count of four, hold it for four, then breath out for four. Do that a few times and concentrate on it and you'll find it should relax you and help clear your mind.

If that doesn't work, I go full force crazy imagery. For this I'm looking to get random thoughts out of my head that'll tend to keep me awake. I used to imagine inside my head was like a swimming pool and I pulled out a giant plug. I focused on the water slowly swirling as it drained out, taking my random thoughts with it - leaving my head empty and calm. I've got a new one now: I flip open my head, and inside is a brightly lit space and the bottom is a bowl like you get in the dentist - so a permanently open drain. I then pour a gentle stream of water around the edge of the drain, which washes my thoughts away with it. Slowly circling the drain so the thoughts are flushed slowly. As I do it I can feel myself relaxing and my mind emptying.

Might sound crazy but give it a go