Insomnia........awake since 2am.

[Tolkienista]

Not going to make this a long post, but I've been awake since @ 2am, just can't get back to sleep, I'm used to it, but it's a pain. Thankfully I don't need to get up for work this morning and honestly I'll be good to go for most of the day, i just feel sleepy after lunch, nodding off on the sofa.

How do fellow insomniacs cope? It worries me that studies show I'll have major health.problems in the future, (I'm 64) but sleep really eludes me as a whole and it sucks.

Please feel free to vent, I've just accepted it and I know I'll nod off later on this morning @ 5 -6am it's weird, but if you're an insomniac you'll get that.

I feel your pain ☹️.

Hello, not sure if you're still up but showing solidarity with you at 4:30am! When did your insomnia start? Does anything make it better or worse?

I seem to wake up at 3/4am and can get back to sleep, but it can take an hour or so. Better try to get back to sleep now!

I wake up at 4 am most days - and don't go back to sleep.

I went to the gym the other day and then 'slept in' until 6.30 the next morning - absolute bliss! It was only the cat who woke me up meowing outside our window.

Wondering if exercise is the key....cos I've tried all sorts of other stuff.

I've been up with my autistic 11 year old since 2am.

And I start work at 06.30 :(

I get up at 330am for work. I like an hour to chill etc before I bike in.
I generally wake up at 1am, 2am and then 3am.
Have tried everything. I'm asleep by half nine and sleep soundly till 1am.
I blame perimenopause.

I've been awake since half eleven, got up at 4 and get off to work at 7, it's going to be a long day!

I’ve been plagued with it in this pregnancy. I hate it.

I’m convinced this is why women are more likely to get dementia than men. Childcare, hormones, especially in menopause really disrupt our sleep and our brains can’t repair as they should during such short bursts of sleep.

I’ve been looking into the idea of biphasic sleep, where you wake up for a bit, do some stuff(read, crafts,low key stuff) for an hour then go back for a second sleep. Apparently we used to do it. Unfortunately it’s not really great for modern life.

Am listening to audiobook which might make me doze off.

I'm sure it isn't the case for 90% of you but I had terrible insomnia that just seemed to be getting worse.

I also had an awful working memory (I think of it like the sticky notes part of the memory where you need to remember to 'Do XYZ', 'Pay XYZ bill', etc).

Along with other symptoms I massively recognised from posters on here talking about having ADHD.

ADHD in adult women is very rarely anything like ADHD is portrayed in the media. I thought I couldn't possibly have it as I did well in education (straight A student, etc).

Anyway, it turns out that's what the insomnia was!

I'm now on stimulants as ADHD meds and have never slept so well since I was in my 20s!

Just thought it was worth mentioning even if it only helps one person.

Same , EVERY night ☹️

I'm only awake right now as on hols in Sri Lanka and it's 9.35am here

Me too. Awake since 2.30 thinking about work. Tossed and turned for an hour then logged on my computer and did 2 hours of work, now lying here waiting for my alarm to go off in 2 hours.
I'm at work later and don't finish until 10pm, I know I'll feel like death at the end of the day. I pray work isn't insanely busy this afternoon (I know it will be, it always is).

Only slept 2-4 last night. I do have covid just now which isn't helping but ffs. Kids will be up in an hour and eldest has exam today so I'll need to be bright and breezy and patient and it's hard going.

It definitely is a vicious circle too - I used to always struggle to get to sleep but wouldn't be awake early. The waking early happened once a couple of weeks ago and now it keeps happening and I'm convinced it's because I worry about it happening.

Thanks for all your honesty in your replies, really enjoyed reading everyone's experiences......last night wasn't a great night, but I'd never have gone.online if I had to get up for work at 7am, that would be a no no. The only reason I went online was because I just didn't feel sleepy and I didn't have to get up early.

Anyway, as I predicted, I dropped off to sleep @ 5am and woke up around 8.15am, then drifted off again and woke up just after 9am. I feel absolutely fine, I've had a busy morning, I've just had my.lunch but if I stay on the sofa I predict I'll nod off , but we'll see!

Ps.......I've accepted the way I sleep, some.nights are much better than.others, last night was a bad one, but it really varies.

I don't feel sleepy in the day (as a whole) certainly I don't feel sleepy if I'm at work. I love my bed, it's cosy and warm and if sleep eludes me, I take comfort in the fact that I'm relaxed.and I'm not going to beat myself up about something that I feel is out of my control.

I really feel these forums are beneficial to.me, it's always good to hear other people's experiences and Mumsnet is as good a place as any for people to really tell it as it is.

Not sure I am replying on the right thread. I am a poor sleeper, shattered at 930 so sleep, then at 2am wide awake until an about 430/5 then go back to sleep. Every few weeks I would then resort to sleep aids from the chemist. I’ve seen improvements recently as starting taking a magnesium supplement for muscle ache, they are helping me sleep for longer. I also listen to podcasts through the night, I usually fall asleep within minutes of it starting but if it stops I wake up. Not sure the magnesium is doing anything for muscle ache but pretty sure it’s helping with sleep. I’m 56, I never sit down during the day but I do get into bed early, often about 730 to watch tv.

I would bet that you are magnesium deficient, most people, and especially most people of your age are, and it can massively impact your sleep and lead to insomnia. I would start taking magnesium glycinate, and take it daily for at least two months before you determine if it's helped or not.

@Aquamarine1029 by coincidence I've started putted a blob of magnesium butter (called Sweet Sleep?) on the soles of my feet each night - as well as going to the gym every other day - and am sleeping so much better. Having more calm dreams and walking up around 6 to 6.30 am instead of 4 am. And going to bed around 10 pm.

Thanks for the latest posts especially on magnesium deficiency, I'm definitely going to look into that.

As I've said before, I don't beat myself up about a bad night's sleep, as long as I'm comfortable in bed and relaxed I'll go with that as a bonus. Many people have pain and discomfort when they lie down, thankfully I'm completely pain free.

Once again I'm indebted to all your points of view, really interesting to read.