For years now, certainly since my mid thirties, I’ve woken up very early - usually any time between 4 and 6, although both these are fairly unusual. Mostly, it’s between 5 and 530.
I cannot get back to sleep once I’ve woken up.
It probably sounds like a non-problem, but it actually impacts on my life in a big way. I’m always tired. I can only get a decent amount of sleep by going to bed really early and then I just wake up even earlier! If I want to stay up to watch something or to go out, in pre lockdown days, I’m exhausted.
I can think of maybe two occasions where I’ve gone back to sleep after waking at 5 and both times I remember waking up naturally at about 8 feeling refreshed and alert.
I’m worried about it having a negative impact on my relationship and on my life generally. Has anyone else experienced this?