Sleeping problems

[TrevL]

Over the last 20 years or so of my working life, my alarm clock was set to either 5.15 or 6.15, depending whether I was starting  work at 7 or 8.

Here's the rub.  I retired in April 2017, so the alarm's not on anymore.

But, here I am, almost two years later still getting up anywhere between 4 am and 6am every morning.

I go to be bed tired, usually between 11pm and 12, and fall soundly asleep, but always awake, fully refreshed, some time between the hours previously mentioned.  I try to go back to sleep but so far have been unsuccessful, so I get up at stupid-o-clock.  Even 3am is not unheard of.

I have no health problems, nor worries, apart from thinking I'm not getting enough sleep?

Anyone else have this, and if you fixed it, how? 

[BobB]

Have yesterday completed a year long plan to relocate from South Africa to my wife's home town of Saratov in Russia. Was definitely not getting enough sleep dealing with various government officials and staying awake at night worrying about it. Now I'm here and slept so soundly Tuesday night on the train from Moscow and last night in what will become our room and bed.

So, all you have to do is think of a seemingly impossible objective, go for it and sleep peacefully afterwards when it is achieved !

[RailGooner]

Trev, you've just about described MBH's sleep pattern to a tee. We've not found a solution yet. Hope you have more success.

[Bealman]

I wouldn't worry too much about it (I nearly said I wouldn't lose sleep over it  ).

I think it's fairly common for elderly folk to get up early. I know I'm getting up earlier as I get older. Once awake, I can't go back to sleep, and prefer to get up and do stuff. Running out of years, so may as well use 'em while I still have me faculties!

In the words of some rock song (can't remember the artists - what was I saying about faculties?)

"I'll live when I'm alive and sleep when I'm dead"

[TrevL]

Bon Jovi

[austinbob]

I think the most important thing in retirement is to have a regular routine. I don't get up quite as early as when I was working but its always the same time set by my alarm. I go to bed at pretty much the same time in the evening as well.

[Bealman]

 

Bon Jovi! So it was. 

Regards getting up earlier, during my recent 10 weeks in hospital, I was woken up at 5.30am for blood pressure and tablets, and since I've been home, I'm waking up at 5.30 wondering where the nurse is!

I cannot get back to sleep then. So what do I do?

Reach for me phone and catch up on missed NGF posts during the night! 

[Bob Tidbury]

I don't have an alarm clock but now I'm retired I do stay in bed later than when working ,I now get up at 8 o'clock every morning and have a routine ,I also go to bed any time between 9-30 and ten o'clock as there is so much rubbish on the tele that Val watches in the evening .
Bob Tidbury

[port perran]

Now retired, we get up when we feel like it which is anytime between 6.30 and 9.00 but usually about 7.15-7.45.
Neither of us is a fan of routine so we take each day as it comes often making spur of the moment decisions as to what to do (often dictated by the weather).
Leisurely breakfast takes about an hour before we face the day.
Bedtime is usually 10.00 in the evening followed by about 45 minutes reading.

[stevewalker]

If you're waking up fully refreshed, you're getting enough sleep, so why not just enjoy the extra waking hours that you've got and use them to do more things?

[Dorsetmike]

I start my time in bed at about 11pm by lying awake for up to an hour and a half,  following which I have interrupted nights, one of my medications has a side effect of a dry mouth, that wakes me up periodically, anything from an hour and a half to 3 hours, usualy my enlarged prostate forces me to go for a pee at the same time, said enlarged prostate also has the effect of prolonging pee time - a few seconds stream followed by 2 or 3 minutes of drips and dribbles, by which time I'm wide awake and take another half hour plus to get back to sleep so my alarm when set goes off at 9 or 9.30 weekdays, and not at all weekends when I often sleep in until 11am. I can quite easily take a nap during the day.

If I took sleeping pills I'd probably need a rubber sheet. I've tried various "remedies" herbal and medicinal to get me to sleep sooner to no avail. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[Newportnobby]

I've been retired for just over 5 years but still my body clock wakes me in time for work
My cat also tends to wake me up any time from 3 ack emma onwards. Usually I function perfectly OK on 5-6 hours sleep but if I don't get that then I take the attitude 'so what - if I snooze in the afternoon a little who cares?'  Since a warning about heart issues in 1993 I've only drunk defaecated coffee so have no issues getting to sleep.
What I hate is putting the book down at, say, 23.00 and going to sleep then waking up thinking it must be about 05.30 then look at the alarm clock and it reads 00.30! After that, I probably see every hour it registers.

[stevewalker]

Since a warning about heart issues in 1993 I've only drunk defaecated coffee

Would that be Kopi Luwak? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_luwak

[joe cassidy]

I've heard that a glass or two of an alcoholic beverage can help with falling asleep.

I've never tried it myself of course 

[TrevL]

For me, it's not falling asleep, it's staying asleep.  I'm very much like Mick in that respect.