Waking Up Earlier …

Posted by jeffkboyce @jeffkboyce, Jul 28, 2022

Hi - we recently moved to the Las Vegas area from Seattle and initially sleep was great. I noticed some adjustments but nothing major. In the past week or so I started waking up about an hour earlier. Pretty much every night now. Never really had this issue before. I am in good health, very fit and eat as healthy as can be. Initially I figured it was due to high temps at night so I turned down the A/C. It’s better in the room but I still wake up earlier- right after a dream then boom. I try to get back to sleep but most of the time to no avail. There is also some stress in my life so wondering if others have experienced this and what have you done to ease and lengthen sleep back to normal? I do not take medications I do take melatonin and magnesium.

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John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jul 28, 2022

Hi Jeff @jeffkboyce, I know I have difficult getting to sleep if it's warm. I do sleep much better when it's colder in the winter. I've also had trouble getting to sleep when I'm feeling a little stressed and anxious about something. What has helped me was setting and keeping a regular time for going to bed and getting up at the same time every morning....which was easier said than done when I first started doing it but now it has been fairly easy. I still have an occasional night when things don't go as planned. I'm not sure if this is helpful but it does contain some tips on fixing different sleep issues. I'm guessing you probably are doing most of them already.

-- How To Get Your Sleep Schedule Back On Track, According To Experts: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-fix-your-sleep-schedule/

Do you know of anything that may be triggering or adding to your stress during the day?

jeffkboyce | @jeffkboyce | Jul 28, 2022

Thanks! Yes I have maintained a regular schedule- I think this time it’s a combination of things: too much working out, hot climate, moving and adjusting to a new area, new puppy that we had to hospitalize and issues with our kids. I have managed very well until the past week or so - I wake up and then I am done.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Aug 27, 2022

In reply to @jeffkboyce "Thanks! Yes I have maintained a regular schedule- I think this time it’s a combination of..." + (show)

How is your sleep these days, Jeff?

jeffkboyce | @jeffkboyce | Dec 4, 2022

In reply to @colleenyoung "How is your sleep these days, Jeff?" + (show)

Hi thank you for asking so sorry I missed this! It was great for awhile. The original issue was indeed heat. I worked on cooling then as things cooled it got better. But…then it got very cold and the issue popped back up. I also indicated working out this and the new environment was the issue. I started working out with more intensity and volume this fall and now am overtrained. My anxiety due to increased cortisol and adrenaline levels are elevated. what was a minor issue became a much bigger challenge. So much so that I went back on a short term course of zolpidem. I tapered off once before so I will again…. I need to work on my need to be perfect and always pushing. I am wondering why I train so much this is soul work I am doing with Christ. One day at a time.

jayeast | @jayeast | Dec 11, 2022

Hi Jeff, I read your post about waking up at night and unable to go back to sleep. I also have a similar problem, just to share I use a Resmed Air Sense 10 machine and wakeup between 3:00 and 4:00 am every night, I thought it my be the machine but I understand other people have the same problem. I am diabetic and drink a lot of water at night, so I'm trying several things, Such as going to bed and getting up at a set time, less water at bedtime and stress reduction. Some times melatonin works but still wake up at the same time, so now I'm trying taking the melatonin after I wake at 3 or 4 in the morning hoping for a few more hours of sleep, I'll give it time to see what if anything works.

jeffkboyce | @jeffkboyce | Nov 30 11:27pm

In reply to @jeffkboyce "Hi thank you for asking so sorry I missed this! It was great for awhile. The..." + (show)

Update … I went off completely for a year then had a medical challenge and restarted. Sigh. I still take very little. Going to start tapering off again over the next month. I am working on CBT and focusing on the root of my anxiety. It seems to be situational related to nerve issues I have stemming from my stenosis. I get flare ups that make it very hard to sleep b/c I focus on them too much. I then have sleep challenges stemming from the anxiety so a new cycle begins. The flare up always subsides so once I am over the hump I need to learn to sleep without it. I have been off it 2 years and on it 2 years since my original post in 2020. So some good success.