Body clock

[Saintsman]

I wake up every night at 4 am and then go back to sleep. I don't know why but it means that I never get a full nights sleep and I'm usually tired during the day.

I know sleep is in stages but I feel I don't get a good deep sleep because of the waking up.

Somehow my body clock has set its self to 4am. Any suggestions on how to reset it?

[monkeyboy]

Don't dismiss my comment, but are you sure there isn't anything around you that is going off at 0400 like the heating or the fridge/freezer kicking in or a neighbour leaving to go to work?

I went through a spate of constantly waking up at 0500 and it was really frustrating until I realised that it was my hot water boiler coming on so I simply adjusted it to a different time!

I hope you get it sorted because it's not nice.

MB

[MarcJF]

Equally don't dismiss, however off the wall this seems. Just tell yourself what time you want to get up. Over a period of time i've done this, and although i still set the alarm, i always wake up within 1 minute of my desired time. don't ask me how, it just works for me.

Good luck.

[rhovsquared]

Saintsman, sleeping is not my greatest forte either :\ , since I presume sleep medications -may interfere with your work, my advice is to go to a certified 'sleep laboratory'-you spend the night while they monitor your EEG ( brainwave patterns), breathing and other parameters, to help to pin point you sleep. then you can see a psychologist for something like CBT congnitive behavioral therapy, where you can learn to modify thoughts/behaviors that lead to your sleeplessness. if not medicatio witha consult from an aviation medical specialist to see if your able to take anything... sleep is very important for everyone and insomnia is a problem oft' dismisses as 'nonsense' but it is a very LARGE problem--- perhaps stress of the modern world....I need to take my own danm advice :}

Good Night and Good Luck

rhovsquared :)

[Albert Driver]

Right now, Saintsman, I have the same problem - but it's no problem.

It's midsummer, hot, clear skies, the windows are open and so are the curtains. At 4am it's getting light and the birds are awake.

Solution?

1) Quiet and Dark. If you have a choice, try a sleeping in a different room. If not, put up some heavy lined curtains, close the windows (now it's a bit cooler). Try earplugs (even airline eyeshades). Restrict your fluid intake before going to bed to make sure it's not your bladder that's waking you up.

2) Don't Panic. There's nothing more certain to keep you awake than worrying about not sleeping. Next time you wake early look at the clock and say to yourself "It's 4am and some poor ba~!#rds have to get up and go to work at this awful hour, BUT NOT ME". Roll over and you'll be off like a baby again.

Trust me, I'm a Longhauler.
Sweet dreams.

[sir.pratt]

yeah you could lie there thinking of all the poor engineers working madly on your aeroplane to get it on line for the 6am flight, then wonder how THEY'RE going to sleep all day in the 35 degree heat.

seriously though - don't sweat it. you're body knows what it needs, if it needs to wake at 4, it will. the more you worry about it, the more you'll stay awake. get up, go to the loo, get back to bed, go back to sleep.