Doctors/sleep experts/neuro bods

[Lovestonap]

I'm in the habit at the moment of waking up at the same time early in the morning. Between 3 and 3.15am every day. I know its caused by my current levels of stress and depression etc.

But how does my brain KNOW it's that time?! The time I go to bed can vary massively, I can go to sleep at 9pm, 10.30 pm or midnight and my brain will still come round between 3 and quarter past. Does it keep count while I'm asleep?

Nothing else is waking me, it's quiet where we live, I just sleepily wake up and know before looking at my clock what time it will be. It's been going on for several months now.

Just curious.

This is me too. I am not particularly stressed.
The only thing I can think about the brain ‘knowing’ the time is that it’s a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
Nothing I do makes any damned difference so I just go with it. Wake up, go make a cup of tea and watch a bit of telly. Sometimes I nod off in the chair and sometimes I go back to bed. It’s veey bloody wearing.