[Francel]

I wish I didn’t wake up every 2 hours every night. Sometimes I don’t get back to sleep at all; if it is a good night it only takes about half an hour.  I usually wake up at about 5.00 each morning and sometimes drift off for a bit but am mostly awake and get up at about 6.30. I think it is because my brain is so active. Whenever I am successful at just dropping off it is when I have been doing a bit of mindfulness. Does anyone have any info on how to stop the brain being so active?

[Martin Reed]

If you are waking up roughly every 2 hours you could simply be waking as you emerge from a sleep cycle — and this is completely normal. However, it can be difficult to fall back to sleep if you become concerned about these awakenings.

A few suggestions:

1. Make sure that you aren’t allotting too much time for sleep at night (this reduces sleep pressure and increases wakefulness)
2. Try to get out of bed when you can’t fall back to sleep (more on this on the page about stimulus control)
3. Try practicing relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation when you find it hard to sleep because of an active mind

It’s worth bearing in mind that relaxation is actually a skill — it rarely works as soon as you start trying it! So, you may want to practice during the day for a week or two before trying it at night.

 

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The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[lightawake]

Eyemask and earplugs, as per a popular sleep professor in Japan. I got my first 8-hour sleep in 1.5 years thanks to these, after trying so many other things.

[Author]

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