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.
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. :)
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
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.
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.
Don't 'doze' on the couch while watching TV in the evening.
Be sure to get some kind of exercise daily for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Don't drink or eat after 7pm.
Set your alarm for 7 hours to 7 hours 30 minutes.
Take a OTC magnesium pill 20 minutes before you go to bed.
Open a window for cooler fresher air.
Less activity requires less sleep, a good solid active day allows us to sleep better and longer.
And if all that fails, get up and have a peanut butter sandwich with many other boomers in the country! ;-)
Tiger55 - you mentioned "I had a fan during the summertime, which was great 'white noise'. " Someone I worked with eons ago got so used to the fan that she used it every night all year round. Perhaps you could try using it even though you don't need a fan so much in winter?
If none of the suggestions made here by others work for you, perhaps a sleep test would be in order. If you live alone, there's no way really to know if you have snoring or breathing issues, so you may have to investigate that. Otherwise, just find ways to relax, focus on something else other than "I can't get to sleep!" and see what works for you! Clearly there are others who share your woes, so you know you are not alone, but you do need to find resolution, whether changing habits or exploring a medical cause.
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/aging-affects-sleep#2-5
DH WON'T sleep in a room w/o the TV on.
Guess who won that battle? I sleep downstairs and will as long as he chooses to have that 42" monster in the bedroom. Also, he is VERY deaf and has the TV turned up VERY loud and so the noise comes through the ceiling--OK. let's just say it's beyond annoying and thoughtless. (Too many nights in hotels have set this pattern up for him)
I take melatonin, and sometimes a 25-50 mg of seroquel--but I have to go right to bed. NO TV for me, and if I read, I read books NOT on my Kindle. I still wake up 4-5 times a night and I know that's terrible sleep health---but it's just me.
A LOT of what awakens me is the noise from the TV upstairs--DH will NOT move the TV next door to the den, refuses and it's not worth the arguing. He can sleep anywhere, through anything and thinks I should too.
Earplugs, eyemask, white noise machine-----and all alone.
How did we become our parents????
Also get frustrated when a calm mood flows over as the sun arises. It's like my body saying "the sun is up, the world is ok, you can sleep now." LOL
Also I find that a few moments after I awaken at 3 a.m. it's my stomach screaming about being empty. I simply can not sleep if I am hungry, in spite of so much advise to not eat after dinner.
Now I am finding that a hit of good quality pot is enough to put me to sleep quickly, and a few capsules of Valerian, cheap and easy to find over the counter, keeps me asleep all night. Medical cannabis is now legal in 33 U.S. states. I don't know where you live but if you can access some, look for a strain of Indica...that's the sleepy one :)
Peace and hugs to you as I know this is such a hard struggle!