So exhausted, waking really early

[Lemons8519]

For the last year and a half or so, on and off, I've been waking really early. Around 4:30am. I wake up tired but I cannot get back to sleep. I have a toddler that often wakes around 5:30 so almost seems pointless going back to sleep anyway.
Has anyone else had anything similar and have any advice? I'm just so tired and it's starting to make me feel sick and effect my quality of life as I'm just too tired to do anything

Just popping in to say hi! 4.30 - 5 here. My kids aren't up till 7 so have no excuse. Are you waking in anticipation of your toddler getting up?

No kids here.. mid 50s... I was awake at 1.30, then 4..then 6...menopausal and cranky for the day...

Hi! My son actually woke around 6:30 today. You could be right in that I'm waking in anticipation of him waking up. I had a similar problem when he was a baby, I would wake up multiple times in the night even when he was asleep.
I was hoping the clocks going forward would help to fix this. I've always been an early riser but not even I can cope on 4am early!

I am the same, I regularly hear the shipping forecast and it drives me mad. I've had 'enough' sleep by that time, but it's not actually enough.

One thing I noticed over lockdown was that I will go back to sleep if I give myself long enough. When I have work I get up at 06:30. There isn't enough time to go back to sleep then, so I usually just get up about six. When I didn't have to travel to work, so could get up later I went back to sleep. It was quite a revelation. My point is, you don't have time to go back to sleep because of your toddler.

One thing that has helped me with night wakings is magnesium. I read on mn that no one has enough magnesium in their diet, so I thought it couldn't hurt to take it. I don't know for sure, but I certainly perceive that although I still wake up in the night, I go back to sleep much more quickly and easily, which is obviously amazing!

Solidarity!

Sympathies, OP. I'm similar. A couple of nights ago I woke up at 2 am 🙁 when I'm working I get up at 5 am, so I do need my sleep.

@Janek which type of magnesium do you take? I think I need to try it.

@Janek I think I need to try this magnesium too!

I've had this on and off for years since I had children. The only thing that's helped is taking a low dose of amitriptyline. I think it's an antidepressant, but in a low dose helps aide sleep. It doesn't leave me feeling groggy either. I can take it at 5am and still be up for 7am without an issue. Maybe ask your gp?

I'm already taking sertraline so not sure if I could take amitriptyline as well.
I have mentioned about my sleep issues to the gp when i've had medication reviews but i don't think they really took me seriously and just asked what was waking me up and said about exercising more and drinking less. But i might make an appointment for this specifically to see if they can help

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-magnesium-citrate-tablets-100mg-60006390 this is the magnesium I take. I think I started quite slowly, but I tend to take three a day now.