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Author Topic: Sleeping in two halves  (Read 2133 times)

Loo53

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Sleeping in two halves
« on: May 03, 2021, 07:22:37 AM »

Over the past few months since last year I’ve been falling asleep very early. I can feel it coming on me like a shroud around 6-7pm I suspect it’s a condition of some kind Called advanced sleep disorder. Then I wake around midnight because I’ve had a good snooze then it takes me 2 hours to get to sleep again so I listen to the radio or watch tv then I fall back asleep waking at 5:30 on the dot every morning for work .......I’ll get the odd night with no sleep argh. I wake up feeling drugged but at least I’ve slept. Does anyone else have a sleep pattern like this?
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Taz2

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2021, 08:20:45 AM »

That's a lot of sleep some nights then no sleep on others which sounds very difficult to manage. My pattern is sleep from 1 a.m. to 6.30 which isn't enough apparently but is what seems right for me. I wake a couple of times during this time but I've never slept much so can't blame it on Meno. If I sleep for longer it feels like a hangover!  I'm happy with under 6 hours but the information on how bad lack of sleep/too much sleep is for us is depressing.

How long have you been like this and how do you cope with the impact on your life? Are you in the middle of cooking dinner, driving home from work maybe or other things when the sleep descends? If you've slept for six hours do you actually feel sleepy at midnight when you wake as 6 hours is a reasonable sleep? Maybe the answer is to stay awake then and gradually try to extend the time before you have to give in to sleep by say an hour a day which will make you wake at 1 not midnight until you get into a nocturnal pattern. I know that sounds easy but advice from a sleep clinic might help. Alternatively could you set an alarm for yourself at 6 or 7 to go off in 30 minutes time which would refresh you enough to stay awake until a more normal bed time. Lots of my friends go to bed at 10 which seems impossibly early to me but isn't too far ahead for you to aim for.

Taz x  :hug:
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CLKD

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2021, 08:39:54 AM »

Criky that's a bit of a diagnosis without asking a professional.  If so I've suffered for years++  ;).  How much does this pattern impact on your daily activities? 

When my brain shuts off, that's it.  Sleep.  Gone.  When DH is fishing all day, I sleep most of it.  With the sun pouring in through the camper windows.  I then come home and sleep through the night, occasionally I am later 'dropping off' but not often. 

As we age we need less sleep.  Apparently.  I haven't got to 'that age' yet ;-). 
 
I often sleep through programmes that I've wanted to watch.  Or simply because I am tired.  This can be any time of day.  My head is tired until mid-morning due to the busy dreams and medication that I take.  Right now I could go back to bed .........

I dream a lot in the night.  So sleeping in the day is relaxing as I rarely do.  I wake refreshed.  If there's nowt on TV I go for my bubble bath at 9.00 p.m. and into bed B4 10.00.  Sometimes I read, others I drop straight off.  Very rarely do I have a night where I can't get to sleep until the early hours. 

If you are sleeping that early, why not go to bed so that you are there when you drop off?  You are probably getting enough sleep, but at a different time to what might be convenient. 


There is a condition where people and dogs drop to sleep where they stand, a dog can be running happily along then suddenly, wham.  Fast asleep B4 it hits the ground.  Wakes up OK and gets on with life.  For people they are not allowed to drive, for obvious reasons.

This year has been strange for many, understandably sleep patterns may have been affected.  How much does it bother you? 



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CLKD

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2021, 01:00:31 PM »

Often in the evenings when DH is at his hobbies, I sleep in the camper van. Reading the paper one moment, the next: gone  ::). I could sleep this afternoon, due to busy dreams overnight.  I may well have a doze ........ heating is on low, feeling nicely relaxed.

How worried R U about your sleeping pattern?
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Mogster71

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2021, 06:52:10 PM »

I'm with CLKD - I sleep when my body asks me to and it shuts me down!!

I work full time, I've got 2 cats who demand breakfast on their terms so rarely am I in bed beyond 4am (although I can sometimes fall sleep again on the sofa so as not to wake OH for another hour). I'm in bed before 10 most nights, so 6 hours is about the norm. But sometimes I fall asleep after dinner, or at 8.30pm. I guess it depends what I've done that day. At the weekends I allow myself the odd disco nap!! My husband laughs that I can fall asleep in seconds. One minute I'm typing or researching something on line and the next my nose is an inch from the keyboard  ;D

If you're sleeping from say 7pm to midnight, that's 5 hours, then another 3+ after midnight till 5.30 - there's your 8 hours. I appreciate it's not unbroken sleep though, if you're awake for a bit in the middle.

Could you try setting an alarm for 20mins when you feel that tiredness creeping up on you? Then you could have a refreshing nap, not go into deep sleep. I think 4/5 hours is definitely more than a snooze.. (it would represent almost a full night for me!) it might well be that by doing this, you can have some evening time, establish a lovely relaxation routine, go to bed before midnight and sleep through. xx
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CLKD

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2021, 07:15:51 PM »

Often what wakes me on the sofa is being cold  ::) so now as I drop off I grab the cashmere cape to wrap round. 
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Loo53

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #6 on: May 05, 2021, 05:10:33 AM »

That's a lot of sleep some nights then no sleep on others which sounds very difficult to manage. My pattern is sleep from 1 a.m. to 6.30 which isn't enough apparently but is what seems right for me. I wake a couple of times during this time but I've never slept much so can't blame it on Meno. If I sleep for longer it feels like a hangover!  I'm happy with under 6 hours but the information on how bad lack of sleep/too much sleep is for us is depressing.

How long have you been like this and how do you cope with the impact on your life? Are you in the middle of cooking dinner, driving home from work maybe or other things when the sleep descends? If you've slept for six hours do you actually feel sleepy at midnight when you wake as 6 hours is a reasonable sleep? Maybe the answer is to stay awake then and gradually try to extend the time before you have to give in to sleep by say an hour a day which will make you wake at 1 not midnight until you get into a nocturnal pattern. I know that sounds easy but advice from a sleep clinic might help. Alternatively could you set an alarm for yourself at 6 or 7 to go off in 30 minutes time which would refresh you enough to stay awake until a more normal bed time. Lots of my friends go to bed at 10 which seems impossibly early to me but isn't too far ahead for you to aim for.

Taz x  :hug:

I’ve tried having a strong coffee around 5 pm which can help me to push it a bit. I’m fairly wide awake at midnight always around half twelve I could probably stay up but there is an inner panic to get enough sleep in before work. I’ve been like this for more than 12 months. Now that it’s lighter nights I think ooo perhaps I can stay up but I can happily fall fast asleep from 7:00pm onwards even when it’s light. Ive mentioned this to my gp but all he did was give me melatonin.  :o
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Taz2

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2021, 06:53:05 AM »

Why not set an alarm for a thirty minute nap just enough to refresh you. How much sleep do you think you need as you might be surprised now you are older. I function well on 5 to 6 hours though I know this isn't recommended healthwise. Did the melatonin help at all? It must be disruptive for any social life (when we eventually get back to that) as you must just seem to work and sleep.

Taz x
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Loo53

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2021, 04:41:55 AM »

Why not set an alarm for a thirty minute nap just enough to refresh you. How much sleep do you think you need as you might be surprised now you are older. I function well on 5 to 6 hours though I know this isn't recommended healthwise. Did the melatonin help at all? It must be disruptive for any social life (when we eventually get back to that) as you must just seem to work and sleep.

Taz x

Last night was an example I fell asleep at 6:45 pm and woke at 2:30 am. Good idea but I would most likely sleep through the alarm lol! No the melatonin didn’t really help. I just manage it that’s all I can do. I couldn’t get back to sleep this time from 2:30 am onwards so tossed and turned until I got up at 5 am in the end for work.  ::)
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CLKD

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2021, 08:06:32 AM »

Morning - how do you feel once out of bed?

I slept almost all of yesterday.  DH was fishing, the sun was streaming through the camper windows and I was away. I don't dream in the day time so woke refreshed.

My bladder is the causation of waking in the early hours.   ::)
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Loo53

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2021, 03:47:47 PM »

Annoyed more than anything but have been fine all of  today no tiredness..
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Taz2

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2021, 04:00:29 PM »

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Foxylady

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2021, 11:06:35 AM »

There is also a good website/app which follows CBT principles its called Sleepio and is free through NHS in some areas and for NHS workers is also free. My sleep pattern definately much better since taking provera as it should be taken (not as GP prescribed continous) for my age/stage. Still have th odd bad night, last week awake & up till 3am then stirring from 6am up for work at 7am, not good. HRT has improved my symptoms generally and sleep is one of them. x
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Loo53

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2021, 05:17:39 PM »

There is also a good website/app which follows CBT principles its called Sleepio and is free through NHS in some areas and for NHS workers is also free. My sleep pattern definately much better since taking provera as it should be taken (not as GP prescribed continous) for my age/stage. Still have th odd bad night, last week awake & up till 3am then stirring from 6am up for work at 7am, not good. HRT has improved my symptoms generally and sleep is one of them. x

Ah too old for hrt but the other suggestion is worth checking out thanks I am an nhs worker  :)
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Loo53

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Re: Sleeping in two halves
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2021, 05:19:37 PM »

My son found this helpful https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/how-to-reset-your-sleep-routine.

Taz x

It’s 18:18 and I can feel the urge to sleep coming on me  :o thanks for the link  :)
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