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

[screenman]

I wake up a lot during the night, maybe 6 or 7 times at least, I have been this way for so long I can just relax and enjoy being in bed, lucky I know because it has not always been that way. My alarm goes off 7 days a week at 5am and seldom in bed before 10.30 pm so even if I am awake it is not for long.

Try a shorter time in bed each night, maybe it will work for you as well, my SIL complains of waking a lot, truth is she goes to bed at 11.00pm and gets up after 10.00am and then sits in the armchair the rest of the day..

 

[Drago]

Beretta is for those who like show but with no go. If you want something that works then a fence post Browning is the way to go, although I don't know too much about anything made in the last 10 years or so.

My Silver Pigeon is relative plain, not all that ornate. It was a birthday present from Mrs D, and I don't think she looked beyond the price. Given the choice today, for a sensible budget I'd have a Blaser every time.

 

[iandg]

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

This may sound crazy too:

I visualise myself sitting on a beach.

As I breathe out to the count of 4, I imagine a wave building up and crashing onto the shore.

Breathe in to 4, imagine the sound of the sea retreating dragging the shingle back across the beach.

Hold for 4, imagine the silence before the cycle starts again.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Ive been sleeping a lot better since i started using nose strips.
Breathe better and dont wake up with sleep apnoea type of thing.

Wife gets a better sleep too ,and doesn't spend time planning my demise

 

[Julia9054]

I don't do the waking up early thing but sometimes take a very long time to fall asleep in the first place. I tell myself long, rambling stories - as if i am telling someone else - on subjects other people won't be interested in in an attempt to bore myself to sleep!
In an informal and totally unscientific survey of people i know, men drop asleep easily but wake up in the small hours whereas women can't get to sleep in the first place. Wonder if this holds true more widely.

 

[PaulSB]

I frequently wake during the night, anytime after about two hours sleep. I also often think I've been awake most of the night when my wife says I've been sleeping soundly.

My one disappointment about retiring is my waking at 4/4.30 and thinking about work hasn't stopped - I just think about something else!!

I'm famous for being able to sleep in a moment absolutely anywhere at anytime but not at 4.00am!

My problem seems to be I'm ready to sleep by 10.00pm and it's very difficult to stay awake. Once in bed I sleep instantly and very deeply, so deep that when I wake I don't think I've been to sleep at all. My only clue I have slept is the clock showing time has passed. By 4.30am I've had 6.5 hours very deep sleep and my body is usually fully rested.

The only thing which seems to change this is increased physical exertion. A long day walking or riding or a heavy day working in the garden will let me sleep till 6.30/7.00am.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I sleep in split shifts. Can’t stay awake past 22:00 and drop like a stone, then I am wide awake about 02:00. If the kids are staying with their mum, I occasionally go out for a night ride. That’s always nice. If a wake very early, I read my Kindle for a bit and soon nod off.

 

[Dan B]

The best cure for insomnia is the realisation that it's time to get up

 

[Deleted member 1258]

One of the annoying things with being retired is my tendency to wake up with the dawn, five in the summer, I also have problems sleeping if I've done a long hard ride. I've done a bit of yoga including meditation and I find that yoga quiet mind stuff usually gets me of to sleep, if it don't work I have some relaxation stuff I can listen to, binaural beats stuff, that usually works.

 

[Accy cyclist]

After nearly 30 years i still can't work out why the night staff in the old folks home i worked in woke up some residents to give them sleeping tablets.

 

[Salty seadog]

I'm one for waking up several times in the night too I also 4 am every day. Radio on and nod back off for an hour or two

 

[screenman]

I ask Alexa for the time so often during the night that I feel guilty, for disturbing her.

 

[Drago]

One of the annoying things with being retired is my tendency to wake up with the dawn, five in the summer, I also have problems sleeping if I've done a long hard ride. I've done a bit of yoga including meditation and I find that yoga quiet mind stuff usually gets me of to sleep, if it don't work I have some relaxation stuff I can listen to, binaural beats stuff, that usually works.

Similarly affected. 3 decades of early starts mean I'm irretrievably programmed to awaken at 0600 sharp, no matter what I do.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Similarly affected. 3 decades of early starts mean I'm irretrievably programmed to awaken at 0600 sharp, no matter what I do.

Its annoying aint it, even more annoying is that my Good Lady could sleep for England.

 

[lane]

The best cure for insomnia is the realisation that it's time to get up

Yes no matter how little I sleep I get during the night I can gurantee to fall asleep 30 minutes before the alrm goes off and then just want to stay asleep but have to get up!