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Early Morning Awakenings

wildflowers44
wildflowers44
Does anyone else deal with this? I often wake up between 3:30 and 4:30. feeling wide awake and unable to get back to sleep. Today, I am up at 2, which is a new record for me. I generally go to bed around 10, so this is still not enough sleep for me. Plus. I end up feeling exhausted around noon, which does not go well, as I have class I the afternoon.

I have been struggling with this for months. I have no issues falling asleep, as I am usually exhausted at night. And I usually sleep straight through until I wake. But I hate that I am waking up an hour or two before I have my alarm set to go off.

I am not on medication, though occasionally take Klonopin before bed. I have the early morning awakenings regardless of whether or not I take the Klonopin.

Does anyone else deal with this? Have you found anything to help? I am getting desperate, as being exhausted everyday is taking a toll on me.

Thanks for listening.
zoidberg
zoidberg
I've had this problem and other sleep issues too so finally after years of generally being tired all the time I've talked to my Dr and now I'm planning on having a sleep study done. You might be suffering from this Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome (ASPD): This is a disorder in which a person goes to sleep earlier and wakes earlier than desired. ASPD results in symptoms of evening sleepiness, going to bed earlier (for example, between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.), and waking up earlier than desired (for example, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.) The only way to know for sure is to talk to your Dr about your sleep habits.
ZAZAS
ZAZAS
Yeah, I was suppose to have the sleep study. They mail mine to the house first. I could not figure out how to hook it up. Plus I was in a manic mode where I was not sleeping at all. So, why hook it up if you know you are not going to sleep. By the time I was ready to sleep they had already called and wanted it back. But, yes, I do like you, wake up at 3am or so. I usually watch tv or get on the computer until I get sleepy again. Works for me unless I am manic.
ZAZAS
ZAZAS
It takes an hour or two, but I eventually go back to sleep.
wildflowers44
wildflowers44
zoidberg: I have heard of ASPD before. I actually took a Sleep psych class a few years ago..we learned early morning awakenings are correlated with depression, but never learned exactly why. I am sure it has something to do with the chemicals in the brain or something of that nature.

I bet sleep studies are expensive.

ZAZA S - I am glad to hear you are at least able to fall back asleep some of the time. But I know it's frustrating to wake up so early. I wish there was a solution to this.