Waking up at 4.30 am and can't get back to sleep - worn out

[Mistymountain]

Four years ago I had brain surgery to remove a grade 2 brain tumour. I had a phone call from the hospital last week to say that the tumour had started to regrow and that I needed another scan in September, to assess how fast it is growing. I will need another operation at some point.

It's going to be hard dealing with the uncertainty until the September scan, but the main problem at the moment is sleeping. I fall asleep without any problem but keep waking up and once I get to 4.30am that's it, I have to get up. It's wearing me out.

Has any one got any tips on getting back to sleep, that have worked for them? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Get some melatonin, I used to wake up about 5-6 hours after falling asleep & couldn't drop off again, since I started taking it I sleep 8-9 hours & wouldn't wake up if a bomb dropped off. No feeling hungover or doped, just solid sleep, I track my sleep cycles on my smartwatch & since starting it I get more deep sleep. I buy mine online from Piping Rock, I take 12mg. Good luck with your brain op.

Gosh I'm sorry to hear that OP, how stressful for you.

Early morning wake ups are awful. I've tried lots of variations of the counting sheep strategy over the years and the most effective one I've found is counting down from 300 in 3"s. Can't remember where I picked it up from but it's quite effective. I usually find myself going fuzzy around 270. Sometimes it takes several goes to work.

Audio books are another idea. I've got a sort of headband thing with built in speakers which is comfy to sleep in.

I also pop on an eye mask in summer if I wake up after it is getting light.

Thank you good ideas. I've tried the counting, but it's not working so far, but I'll try a mask and will definitely buy some melatonin, it sounds like it may do the trick.

I'm very sorry to hear about your brain tumours!! Sept is a long time to expect you to wait after giving you that news.

I'm waking up between 3:30 &4:30 too, unable to go back to sleep when I could. I'm like the living dead, I've got cargo holds under my eyes and absolutely NO energy.

I'm a bit wary of ordering melatonin off the internet.

Are you sure the tumour and the early waking are connected? Not suggesting they aren’t and it may of course be anxiety around your situation, but I had this as part of peri symptoms and HRT has helped loads.

as far as getting back to sleep goes - counting my breaths in and out and starting back at one every time I lost count helped sometimes…

If you wanted to try melatonin, just to put your mind at ease I think it is perfectly fine to buy online. In the US it is sold as a supplement, it isn't even over the counter. There is loads of info online to help you figure out the right dose to begin with. If your problem is staying asleep (rather than getting to sleep) you probably want to use a slow release formulation.

I've been able to get back to sleep by listening to podcasts/radio programmes (something boring from Radio 4!) with one headphone in. I just generally drift off again and the headphone falls out!