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

[PK99]

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As recommended by Samuel Pepys between first sleep and second sleep.

There is lots of research, suggesting that split sleep in the human norm:

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-in-two-shifts-maybe-we-should-again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783

https://www.history.vt.edu/Ekirch/sleepcommentary.html

So, the message is, chill. Don't stress about a normal pattern. Relax, let the mind drift.

I follow a technique from headspace - Take a few deep breaths, relax and run gently through, in time sequence, the events of the past day, not in detail, just the headlines, if other thoughts intrude nudge yourself back to the events list. When you get up to date breathe steadily and start counting breaths 1000, 999, 998..

I very rarely get to the counting stage.

The thing that used to stop me drifting off again was repetitive thinking : I must get back to sleep I must get back to sleep I must get back to sleep... It's a bit like not thinking a bout purple elephants
.

 

[screenman]

Time to get up, went to bed at 10.30pm and woke up about 5 times which I would say is normal for me. Feeling good and rested, enjoying those bits where I am awake is the secret.

 

[Mo1959]

I find the earlier I go, the worse I sleep. Tried an early night last night and went at 10.30 but clock watched much of the night with a few dozes in between. Just seems to be all my body needs. I very rarely get really sleepy, and even when I do I can have an hour and feel wide awake.

This is one of the reasons I don't like the dark mornings. Just sitting here with a coffee waiting on a bit of daylight to get out for a walk.

 

[biggs682]

Get up and go out on your bike , it's what i do

 

[Poacher]

Get up and go out on your bike , it's what i do

I must confess, I'm quite surprised that the OP doesn't do this. After all, with a name like @night cycler ............

 

[biggs682]

I must confess, I'm quite surprised that the OP doesn't do this. After all, with a name like @night cycler .........

Hadn't spotted that

 

[Globalti]

At the moment, get up, have a tinkle, take paracetamol then rearrange pillows and get comfy.

When not recovering from injury, get up, tinkle, back to bed then concentrate on relaxing every muscle starting at the feet and moving up. It's amazing how tense you can be.

 

[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.

Yeah right...2am and on t'internet. I should listen to my own advice sometimes.

 

[srw]

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/sep/14/finally-a-cure-for-insomnia

 

[Globalti]

How many of us turn their phone off at night and leave it downstairs? I certainly do; it's a tool and it doesn't run my life.

 

[betty swollocks]

The myth of the eight hour sleep.

I remember reading this article on the Beeb website. It's still there.

 

[Fab Foodie]

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Alone?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I used to play a lot of golf and replaying a round visualising each shot helped me. Never been a good sleeper.

Did you have a bunker-bed ?

 

[Fab Foodie]

I put the radio on a chat station at a very low volume so I have to really strain to listen to it but I force myself to listen and follow the conversation.
It doesn't matter what is being talked about. Whether the subject is boring or interesting, more often than not I drop off. If not, at least l know whats going on in the world.

I do this with a cup of sweet tea. Works for me...