How can I stop myself from waking up at 3am every night?

Question

Whats up with 3am? Why do I wake up at this time every night and then go back to sleep at 5am? Its absolutely crazy. I go and make myself some tea....have something to eat...come on here and then go to bed. What a life!!!!! :(

Answer 1

it's just your natural clock telling you you need to be up (I'm a 3:45 myself)..also horrible to consider, but is it possible that something really bad or scary happened to you when you were very young at that time? If so, you're body knows to be alert for danger at that time.

Answer 2

Yes, I agree. That does sound a little too "high school" for a college student. You're going to be in the adult world pretty soon, and that kind of thing won't go well in a career environment. It's a habit, like any other. A habit can be broken, but you have to want to do it. Before you start talking about anything, think the sentence through in your head, and then say it. If you think before you talk, rather than think as you talk you can form better sentences. Just as a reminder to yourself, try putting a rubber band around your wrist. Whenever you hear yourself say one of those words, snap the rubber band, slightly. Not enough to hurt yourself of course, it's just a reminder.

Answer 3

Saw in a film (the exorcism of Emily Rose) that 3am is the demonic hour. Basically, demons wakes you up at that time. The film's not too bad. Try a glass of warm milk, that should put you to sleep.

Answer 4

Hmmm, i went through a phase of this too, but it was 3.30am it was sooo annoying. Luckily it only lasted for a about 3 weeks. Have u got anything on your mind? I think it may be stress that courses it, or u might have got your body into a routine so try to stay in bed rather than go down stairs and eat.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Try melotonin -- it's a substance that your body naturally produces (also available in pill form), that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. If you exercise, make sure you do so in the morning, not at night. Check your stress level -- if it's high, try to do some relaxing exercises (yoga or meditation or listening to soft music) before bed.

Answer 6

Are you worrying about something during these 2 hours. I'd suggest homoeopathic Nux-vomica 30c - take 1 at bedtime for a week & stop as soon as the cycle is broken. This should help.

Answer 7

By becoming active after waking you are compounding the problem.Food is a no no as the blood rushes to the gut to start digestion leaving the brain starved of oxygen.You have trained your body to wake and follow the same procedure.Try melatonin before bed to break the cycle.www.biovea.co.uk.

Answer 8

Some thing triggers the 3am wakeup...a noise, etc? Don't get up...that will really wake you up...grab a book and read for a bit...

Answer 9

try this

Sleep tips and advice

Do you like to have a weekend lie-in or a nightcap before going to bed? These habits could actually be harming your sleep.

Relax your mind

* Simple breathing exercises can help. Breathe, using your abdomen not your chest, through your nose for three seconds, then breathe out for three seconds. Pause for three seconds before breathing in again. Practise this for ten minutes at night (five minutes is better than nothing).
* Some people find that lavender oil, valerian or other herbs help them to sleep.
* If you still have problems, you could try massage, aromatherapy, or even acupuncture.
* If you still find yourself tossing and turning, abandon the bedroom and find something enjoyable and absorbing to do. Jigsaws are perfect. Don't go back to bed until you begin to feel sleepy.

Exercise regularly

* Regular exercise is a great way to improve your sleep. Just be careful not to do it close to bed time as exercise produces stimulants that stop the brain from relaxing quickly.
* This being the case, exercising in the morning is an excellent way to wake up the body. Going for a run or doing some aerobics releases stimulants into the body, which perks you up.
* If you are injured or disabled, you can still benefit from exercise. Check out disability exercise tips.

Create a calm bedroom environment

* Your bedroom should be for sleep only. Avoid turning it into an entertainment centre with televisions, computers and stereos.
* Two thirds of British children have a computer, games machine or TV in their bedroom and could be losing out on sleep as a result.

Avoid alcohol

* It's fine to have a nightcap, but too much alcohol can make you restless. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it encourages you to urinate (never welcomed during the night).
* Drinking is also more likely to lead to snoring, which can restrict airflow into the lungs. This reduces oxygen in your blood which disturbs your sleep and contributes to your hangover.

Avoid caffeine

* Caffeine is a stimulant which can stay in your system for many hours. So avoid sources of caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, cola drinks and non-herbal teas.

Watch what you eat

* Eating a large heavy meal too close to bedtime will interfere with your sleep.
* Spicy or fatty foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty in falling asleep and discomfort throughout the night.
* Foods containing tyramine (bacon, cheese, ham, aubergines, pepperoni, raspberries avocado, nuts, soy sauce, red wine) might keep you awake at night. Tyramine causes the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant.
* If you get the munchies close to bedtime, eat something that triggers the hormone serotonin, which makes you sleepy. Carbohydrates such as bread or cereal will do the trick.

Set a regular bedtime and wake up time

* Create a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends. This helps anchor your body clock to these times. Resisting the urge for a lie-in can pay dividends in alertness.
* If you feel you haven't slept well, resist the urge to sleep in longer than normal; getting up on schedule keeps your body in its normal wake-up routine.
* Remember, even after only four hours, the brain has gained many of the important benefits of sleep.

It's only natural

* Most of us have a natural dip in alertness between 2 - 4pm.
* A 15 minute nap when you're tired can be a very effective way of staying alert throughout the day. Avoid napping for longer than 20 minutes, after which you will enter deep sleep and feel even worse when you wake up.

Answer 10

Sleep deprivation can be caused by stress, relax with a warm coaco or horlicks or hot milk prior to going to bed, invest in in lavender wheat bag you heat them up in the microwave and they are very soothing, alternatively speak to your gp they might be able to give you some tablets to help you sleep.
Good luck and sweet dreams.