[Litl_t]

After several months of cbt-i, I can now get to sleep pretty well, so yay to that. Once I fall asleep I almost always have a really good solid block of sleep, but once I wake, I am wide awake. This is usually around 5-5.5hr, and on occasion I have gone 6.5hr. I usually go to sleep at 10:30p, but on the occasions I went to bed earlier or later, I still only got the 5-5.5hr of sleep.

I find it highly unlikely that this is all I need. Could there be other reasons such as hormones that are causing this? I am at the early stages of perimenopause, and I know people start having early waking during that time. Could it be related to my cortisol raising after that much time of sleep.

I do also have some fears about getting too much sleep, which sounds weird, but I am somewhat afraid if I get too much sleep, it will mess up getting to sleep the next night. I don’t know if that is playing into it or not since I try not to think about it. Will my sleep be affected the next night if I get 8hrs of sleep at night? Will I still get sleepy at bedtime?

Also, even though I don’t want to be up so early, I have gotten used to it and have a bit of a routine, I feel like if I sleep longer, it will throw off my morning. This is actually irrational since my routine doesn’t really start till around when I would like to wake up. Before that I just sit on the couch researching stuff.

I just think it is weird that it is always around the same amount sleep no matter when I fall asleep. Any thoughts on all this?

[Scott]

First, a huge congratulations on your success with CBT-I!

Your body will achieve the necessary amount of sleep it needs but the best determination of how much sleep you might need depends on how you feel the following day. What is it about getting 5.5 hours of sleep that concerns you?

Saying everyone should get 8 hours of sleep is like saying everyone should wear a size 8 shoe. The required sleep amounts differ from person to person.

If you get 8 hours of sleep one night it shouldn’t have any bearing on if you’re sleepy at bedtime. It’s more important to wake at the same time every morning than it is to go to bed at the same time every night.

Scott J

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