Waking up at 3am every single night! What can I do?

[Gogoyoyo]

On day 6 of waking up at 3am every single night, not just waking up then falling back to sleep, but I am properly awake and could get up and start the day! Life is busy, I have 3 Primary aged DCs, 2 part time jobs and a DH that works away a lot. So short of it, I am seriously knackered and really need the sleep! I go to bed between 10-11, DCs wake up at 6.
I'm at a total loss about what to do as there's no explanation behind it!
Probably going to sound a bit silly here, but I keep thinking that it's a premonition and something bad will happen at that time soon - ridiculous I know!
Any tips / advice welcome..

Agree re magnesium—one gram of Mg citrate will help, plus get some melatonin from online store. I use Now brand liquid melatonin. Turn off internet at night and ensure room is properly dark.

That is interesting.

I developed this problem as a teenager, insomnia runs in the family, the men have it too.

Back then I took something herbal, eg Kalms, often doesn't work but sometimes does. Or smoked a cigarette, which weirdly does help but I don't do that now.

As an adult, i have tried huge numbers of sleep aids but the main thing that helps with this is amitryptaline, which unfortunately gives me a horribly groggy feeling the next day. I do know people who don't get groggy from it so might be worth a try? I also grind my teeth and it helps that too but I hate the groggy feeling.

Life Armour "drops of slumber" sometimes helps but bleep me, it's pricey.

In other news, paranormal folk think it's the demons waking us or summat if it's 3am. Don't watch the Exorcism of Emily Rose!

Of course, when I was a baby, I slept through and my parents used to wake in a panic to check on me, puzzling over why I didn't wake up like a normal baby!!

Perimenopause began at 42 for me with night waking. Closely followed by horrendous night sweats (literally soaking the sheets). Then came the anxiety, itchy dry skin, aches & pains, brain fog, heavy periods/flooding, irritability and despair. Hopefully you may not experience all of this if you are one of the lucky ones!

Podcasts are a lifesaver for me. As are Zimovane. 40 years of insomnia literally broke my mind at one point. I'm up every night for a wee, but LBC or BBC World service or a Podcast stop me focussing on not sleeping. I have a very understanding GP 🙏

I'm have had to learn to live with insomnia (thank you, Long Covid). Nothing I have tried has been a permanent solution, but the most helpful thing has been something that helps me drift off again easily if/whenI wake in the night.

I bought a Pillowtalk speaker that goes under my pillow. When I settle down to sleep I make sure that an audiobook is the top open app. Often I listen to it to help me go to sleep. I put the app on a 60min sleep timer and have never still been awake when it switches off.

If or when I wake in the night, I just switch the audiobook back on with minimum fuss - eyes barely open and no switching on any lights. It sends me straight back to sleep.

It needs to be an unexciting story, not too plot-driven so that it doesn't bother me if I've missed bits. Currently listening to Remains of the Day, read by Sam West.

I wish I could find a GP like that. Zimovane is great stuff. Longest prescription I got was after 72 hours of no sleep tipped me into a weird state of mania. They gave me maybe 2 weeks worth, that was it.

I distract myself by thinking about a country,name etc so the name is George,I then think about all the names beginning with G , by the time I get to R I am relaxed and go to sleep. It really does work! My dog gets me up at about 4am and this strategy as been a game changer.

You can get Zimovane / Zopiclone on line . Very expensive though .

No way of knowing if it's real though. Plus giving card deets to dodgy places.

I won't go on about it, but I have politely asked GPs what they think people might resort to if not given meds!

One of mum's rellies was taken off it at 90, having taken it for years. No alternatives were given so she spent her last years as an insomniac, it was bonkers. If she didn't need an increased dose on the previous 40 years.....

Yes, I'll shut up now but OP I hope you find a solution.

@aquamarine1029 Why does it need to be magnesium glycinate? Does it work better, or is it because the other one causes stomach problems? I take magnesium citrate with no problems, other than the tablets are the size of a horse tranquilliser!!!

I always wake up at around 3am too, definitely menopause related, I also have had a lot of migraines with aura (without the headache) I also have MS but Neurologist thinks the migraines are hormone related.