Late night early morning thoughts

caramel start a thread?

gransnetters I am sure will fill you in with ideas!

Oh, those dark, dark hours.....

I am another one who has trouble with negative thoughts during the night and when I awake in the morning. I worry about my future as the children have now left the nest and I now feel redundant. I don't know where I am going in life any more and feel like I am drifting aimlessly. During the day I cope and take pleasure from what the day holds. I hope with time I will adjust to my current situation.

I dont go to bed early these days, like my "own time" first, then if I am not really tired, I go through the day, maybe concerned or worried about different things, so keeping me awake, but then when I waken, things dont seem so bad at all. I am glad I dont waken up at 4am, and I know I am not alone having difficulty getting off! Pleasant dreams everyone out there.

I too am a 430 waker-upper. But... DH loathes me reading/listening to anything, so I get up, watch all the TV I have to catch up on, read books, sew, read the paper... then have a nap after lunch. It works for me.
I wish I didn't need to get up that early though - if DH has a cold and I sleep next door, I have Classic FM on almost inaudibly and it soothes me to sleep. Problem is that DH can't sleep without me, and I have difficulties sleeping with him! Guess who gives in?

I was told by a doctor that when these worries come into your mind you should deep breath and tell yourself "I'm fine" and keep repeating this. Works for me

I usually get to sleep quite easily (looking after 3 grandkiddies on a daily basis does the trick) but I do sometimes wake around 3-4 am for no apparent reason. I find it quite hard to get back to sleep, possibly because I worry I might not hear the alarm and, because I am not up everyone else will be late (I live with my daughter and grandkiddies and am first up/get breakfast ready etc for them all). I don't have any worries going around in my head, it's really annoying when it happens but fortunately it is only rarely that it does.

I too, like another poster, listen to Radio 4 Extra or Radio 4 or 5. I have them on most of the night, awake or asleep. I wake every hour or two as am arthritic and need to change position and then need the loo etc . Sometimes the programme keeps me awake if good, or if good I fall asleep and miss one I'd like, or it annoys me so I change station as that stops me sleeping. It does stop me worrying and thinking though.

Hello everyone I listened to a Miss Read audiobook at 4.10 this morning and felt better. Who could be worried in Fairacre or Lulling!!! Drifted off around 4.50 I think! Thank you again Joelsnan xx

I rarely go to bed at a reasonable time and when there don't always settle down to sleep. I seem to fight the day ending and giving up to sleep. Then I have trouble getting up. I awaken a couple of times in the night and tonight, and in future, will remember I'm not the only one awake and think of you all. Have a peaceful night, everyone.
A friend recommends the audiobook of Just William to get to sleep to, or Under Milk Wood. The World Service tends to worry me more although there are positive stories there too.

Can't believe how many nocturnal worriers there are out there, I thought it was just me. I think that a sleep pattern is very much a habit that's formed, like any other habit and, once it's broken, it's very difficult to get back on track. Like so many of you, I rely on the radio, turned down low, to get me to sleep. BBC IPlayer, set to Radio 4 extra has seen me through many a long and worrisome night.

I too have problems with waking in the wee hours, I use audiobooks or downloads from Radio4/4extra, a soothing voice helps me doze, but I am usually awake by 6.30am, I think sometimes that our sleep pattern is knocked out of kilter when we have children from when they are babies right through waiting for a teenager to come home and that's over at least a 20 year period and it will take a long time to correct it.

I think we are all concerned about what the future will bring. Never mind what has gone before. Getting older is strange. There is a different person looking at you in the mirror.

It's reassuring to read this thread and find I'm not alone with my 3 - 4 am anxieties.

I sometimes wake too and have more anxiety thoughts about what could happen, and occasionally worrying about something I did or said wrong.

I'm often awake around 4.30ish but I worry about the future not the past. I think sometimes it's because the temperature drops and I feel a bit cold, so I bought a heavier duvet and it doesn't happen quite so often now.

I too wake at 4 am. I have a book reading light that fixes on the back of my book. It came from John Lewis. They keep them under the desk in the lighting dept. The battery lasts quite a long time. It is called Mighty Bright. My son has a pillow which plays old comedy programmes quietly all night as he hardly sleeps at all.

Again a big thank you to all. I don't want anyone to have these thoughts BUT at the same time is so reassuring to know I'm not alone! I'm going to try the audiobook suggestion made by Joelsnan tonight. I think some of my worries hark back to being the eldest of 5 and responsible for making everything right for everyone. Impossible I know!! Love to all who shared their experiences and thoughts. It's so good to have the good sense of GN friends while remaining relatively anonymous when discussing problems. xx

Gosh, I'd no idea that so many of us struggled with this. I don't get through many nights these days without some problem, real or imagined, rearing its ugly head, that then takes on nightmare proportions. They are usually current difficulties, not things from the past They pop into your head as soon as your eyes are open and then it is game over for any more sleep. I envy DH who never has a wakeful night. I seem to do the worrying for most of us!

That is an interesting idea, Tricia. I wake between 3 and 4am with a churning tummy, not always being really aware of what is worrying me to start with. As soon as I stir, my cats join me on/in the bed and start nudging me for breakfast and performing the Wall of Death around the bedroom. By 4.30-5am I get up, feed them then have a long soak in the bath, reading and dozing until it is a more reasonable time to get up and dressed. I only get 4-5 hours sleep every night but seem to manage well on it. Even as a child I got up early to deliver newspapers, have never been able to have the luxury of a lie-in, but I do love my bath.

I totally disregard any last minute going to sleep thoughts, and any in the night.
I know them to be an utter load of tosh and worse!

I have those morbid thoughts too, waking in the middle of the night.
I think it might be due to a drop in blood sugar level.
Look on google for ideas, or get up and make some toast and jam.

I have an iPod Nano and some headphones that you can sleep with (flat ones on a hairband like joggers use) and I listen to my favourite music or one of several relaxation tracks that I have on there.

I am also a 4 a.m. worrier. I never worry about what anyone has said or done to me, but could I have done more for anyone. Should I have insisted that the hospital investigated further when told there would be no resucitation (sp) for my Mum. Turned out after a p.m. they could have done. Also did I offend so and so with what I said, did they misread it? I go over and over things I have said that could have been misconstrued. It is 12 years since I had my dear old dog put to sleep and I wonder if I could have kept her a bit longer.
During the day I am level headed and I know if anyone else were saying this to me I would reassure them.

Thank you all again, it's a comfort to have your comments. Joelsnan Im going to take my iPod and headphones to bed with me, I've got so many audio books, and try it!