Can't sleep through the night

[Guest Posts]

Hi,
I currently have seemed to have got into a strange pattern I'm dog tired, follow all the recommended sleep hygiene guidelines and fall asleep quite quickly around midnight but almost without fail I wake up with 2 hrs then can't get back to sleep for a couple of hrs, my best sleep given half a chance is between 7am and 11am, its driving me potty, many nights I'm lucky to get more than 3 hrs. Pls help.

[lisaartis]

Thanks for your question.

It would be interesting what time you are waking up - are you consistently getting up at the same time all the time or are some days you waking up at 7am and some 11am?

You also don't mention how long this has been going on for and if something triggered why this started happening. This is something that is worth exploring. You could also consider keeping a sleep diary for two weeks to get a picture of your sleep and lifestyle habits.

If you've been struggling to stay asleep for at least three times a week for three months, then I would suggest you would benefit from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Insomnia. You can be referred through your GP for this as there are some free services available on the NHS or you can pay privately.