Usually I sleep great, (& nothing has changed about my routine), so it freaked me out when I started ⏰ waking up so damn early. It only happens a couple times a week now, but I'm hoping it won't increase to every day! It started when I turned 60, if I recall. My neighbors are 72 & 82 years old, & they said it happens like that every day, for them. I'm against Ambien type sleep aids cause of some weird stories I've heard. Thanks, hope you guys have some tips.
There are many strategies I use to go to--and fall back--asleep. There are free not-so-famous audio books read by volunteers (LibriVox). Pick topics that are only mildly interesting with completely un-exciting delivery. I'm listening to "A Woman's Journey Round the World." I rarely make it to the end of the chapter awake because of the dull style of writing. (podcast name: LibriVox Audiobooks)
Also, I listen to the free version of a podcast, "Sleep With Me." The narrator chooses a very slightly interesting topic, sprinkles in a smidge of goofy humor and then meanders all over the place, reads from Wikipedia, and other such non-attention getting behavior. 30 minutes is usually enough for me. I might listen to a couple different ones in a more restless night.
Sleep is a powerful healer and protector for mind and body. I hope you keep searching to find what combination of strategies will work for you.
To set one's biological clock, either go to bed one hour earlier, or one hour later; depending on when you want to get up. Finally, keep a routine, it takes awhile of set bedtimes to develop a routine.
Do not distress oneself if the occasional middle of the night wake up occurs.
Keep your set routine.
We have only ourselves to blame if we act like wayward children waking and sleeping whenever we want. The body will respond to that mistreatment.
The only thing caregivers have left, is to blame their mothers.
Yeah, it was the Mom's fault, she fell out of bed. True.
Waking during the night is normal in the human species - they used to call it the first & second sleep - in days of old that was when the fire was fed to be ready for morning, when kids were taken out to pee and other chores then back to sleep again - it was thought at one time that was when babies should be conceived
If you can get back to sleep immediately then there is no problem but the fact you mention it means that you are not just rolling over but staying awake for a while & that is the issue to be addressed - there are many ways so maybe now is the time to set up a 'back to sleep routine' that you can use when it arises - this should researched as to what is best for you & it might take a few tries
Other times when the brain wakes up thinking about problems, it's like having a bucket of cold water dumped over the head. I'm awake and there's no way out but through, after about 90 minutes when the sleep cycle says "sleepy" once more.
I used to take Melatonin but after reading "lasts 4 hours" I found that, sure enough, I'd awaken 4 hours later, to the dot. That's probably the ability that the brain has to take "suggestions" about when to wake up. I don't take anything now. I hope anything here gives a clue to getting a peaceful night. :)