insomnia (waking during the night for 2 hours)

[Le Chat]

Occasionally in the past, I've had the odd night where I've woken up between 2 - 3 O'clock am and stayed awake for about 2 hours. It seems to be happening more and more now though. For the last 4 nights I have woken and not been able to get back to sleep for 2 hours. I feel like I have to move all the time, which reminds me of the 'restless leg' syndrome I've heard of ...but with my whole body. To be honest, I never, ever go to sleep and just sleep through the whole night. For one thing I always need the toilet 2-3 times, regardless of how much I've drunk prior to bed but I have always been this way since childhood and I tend to sleep/wake, sleep/wake all the time.
I do not have any medical condition such as sleep aponea, I don't snore, my health is good and I am not on any medication. I don't even have any worries on my mind!
Can anyone relate to this, or have any ideas or remedies?

[Ethel]

Are you tired during the day? If not, don't worry about it.

I need 4 or 5 hours sleep a day, and just have 'quiet times' in my night time waking hours. I get up, have a hot drink and read.

[ilovemarkb]

this sounds similar to my friend, she normally reads or does suduko in the middle of the night. Everybody requires different amounts of sleep. the more you focus or become obsessed that you.re going to wake then you probably will. you could play a reverse phsycology trick on your mind and tell yourself that you HAVE to get up at 2am and then you probably wont want to! unless you.re tired through the day then dont worry too much!

[ilovemarkb]

ooops forgot to say that there are some herbal sleep remedies like nytol, boots sleepeaze etc but make sure they,re herbal. Dont be buying the over the counter ones as these can be habit forming!!

[garner]

Join the club, I have been on three/four hours sleep for years.I get up like Ethel make a warm drink , re-read the paper and go back for a couple of hours.Some people need more sleep than others.Just don't try to sleep it never works.Try our method, you will have more chance.Good luck.g.

[Le Chat]

Thank you. I am wondering if my body is just changing into another pattern. I am not tired in the day actually, which is odd as I've always needed a good 9 hours previously! I will get up and kill the 2 hrs downstairs. Cheers!

[chattykathy]

I have developed a similiar sleeping pattern in recent years. One piece of good advice I was given is to listen to the World Service, I just put my ear plugs in so I don't disturb my fella. The funny thing is that whenever there is something interesting on I drop off!! The shipping forecast is pretty boring though!! I find listening to music, doing soduku etc is too stimulating and I really do need my sleep. I'm usually fast asleep at 7am when I need to get up!!

[EngTeach]

I was wondering at what age you all developed this "broken sleep" pattern. Mine started when I was in my early 30's. No matter what time I go to sleep, I am up at 2 or 3 (sometimes earlier and then fall back at 5 right before the alarm. I have put on weight, whicjhis a side effect of not getting enoiugh sleep and am tired during the day. If I nap or not I still can not sleep for more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. It is terrible, I look and feel haggard. Sometime OTC sleep meds help, but I don't like them.