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Tips to Achieve a Good Night’s Rest Mar 19, 2018 | By Wendy Hanson (@wendyhanson)Comment receiving replies
I have no trouble falling asleep but wake up at 4am to use the bathroom and can't get back to sleep again. Any suggestions?
Replies to "I have no trouble falling asleep but wake up at 4am to use the bathroom and..."
Those unplanned awakenings are difficult; we’re so glad you reached out for you are certainly not alone. You might be doing this already, but if not, you may consider avoiding beverages a few hours leading up to bedtime. Once awake, you might also find yourself immediately anxious and unable to sleep due to your previous experience. If so, you could try to meditate or have a brief guided imagery to walk through to help calm you. If you are unable to fall back asleep within 20 minutes or so, picking up a book for a few minutes, or writing in a journal to get some of those thoughts on paper, may be enough to help you ease back into a restful sleep. Routines and calming environments are important. You may also want to mention your experience to your health care provider during your next visit just to ensure there isn’t an underlying condition playing a role in waking you up overnight. Wishing you peaceful slumber!
If I reduce liquids to little or nothing dehydration can occur. nasty in its own right. I am 72 and lived this way since 1974 when 1st surgeries began and took so much gut with them --hopefully to stop Crohn's-now rectal cancer came on board..loose both ends of the spectrum! ostomy not pleasant when it fills and empties while asleep! making the bed at 2:30 am unhappy! If I do not get enough liquid within me also a prob...dehydration and look to the skin recognizable. As a retired reading specialist reading is what I do..most of the time and enjoy it. Used to do crewel work but fingers (I'm 71) gnarl up sometimes and that's not so comfy
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Judy, you may wish to consult other members about tips for sleeping through the night and falling back to sleep in the Sleep Health group: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/sleep-health/
Here are a couple of discussions where people are talking about this:
- Insomnia. Nothing seems to help. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/josephene-i-am-having-terrible-insomnia-as-well-nothing-seems-to-help/
- Not sleeping through the night. Looking for non medicated remedies https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/just-dropping-by/