Anyone else having trouble sleeping a full 8 hours?

Does anyone else find it nearly impossible to sleep through the night without waking up? I go to bed around 11 pm, but I always wake up by 3 or 4 am. It’s so rare for me to reach 6 or 7 am without waking up at least once. For those who can sleep a full 8 hours, how do you manage it?

Honestly, I think everyone wakes up at some point; it’s just that most people fall back asleep right away.

Thorne said:
Honestly, I think everyone wakes up at some point; it’s just that most people fall back asleep right away.

You’re probably right. Many people wake up but don’t even remember it. If you stress out when you wake up, that might make it harder to get back to sleep. Also, have you ever considered if it’s sleep apnea?

@Jay
Or maybe you’re just drinking too much water or soda before bed.

It’s really common to wake up a few times each night, but most people don’t remember it. I’ve worked with sleep studies for years, and honestly, it’s pretty rare for someone to sleep 8 hours without any interruptions. If you’re interested, look up sleep cycles or hypnograms to see how normal it actually is.

@Vanya
Do you think something like a Fitbit is actually accurate for tracking sleep?

Francis said:
@Vanya
Do you think something like a Fitbit is actually accurate for tracking sleep?

I think Fitbits are pretty good for spotting general trends in sleep patterns. Just look over your weekly data and see if anything unusual shows up.

@Vanya
That’s interesting… so does that mean no one ever sleeps straight through the night?

Everyone’s sleep needs are different. Some people only need around 6-7 hours. My psychologist, who’s really focused on sleep, says she’s good with 6 hours.

Remy said:
Everyone’s sleep needs are different. Some people only need around 6-7 hours. My psychologist, who’s really focused on sleep, says she’s good with 6 hours.

I’m definitely one of those people! I tried forcing myself to get 8 hours, but I just ended up with headaches and felt awful. My ideal is around 6 and a half hours. I try to get 6 hours on workdays and about 7 on weekends. More sleep actually makes me feel worse.

@Dallas
That’s fascinating! Do you still wake up multiple times during the night?

Remy said:
@Dallas
That’s fascinating! Do you still wake up multiple times during the night?

Yeah, and apparently it’s normal for most people. My mind just jumps to random things… like ‘Where’s my passport?’ even when I don’t need it. They said it’s just our thoughts lingering, even when we’re asleep.

@Dallas
That actually makes so much sense. Thanks for explaining!

I wake up a few times to roll over but usually fall back asleep pretty fast. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I slept straight through the night… probably since I was a teenager!

Dallas said:
I wake up a few times to roll over but usually fall back asleep pretty fast. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I slept straight through the night… probably since I was a teenager!

I’m 16 and can’t sleep more than 6 hours without waking up either.

Dallas said:
I wake up a few times to roll over but usually fall back asleep pretty fast. Honestly, I don’t remember the last time I slept straight through the night… probably since I was a teenager!

Try taking Benadryl at night. It might help you sleep longer.

The only people sleeping all night without waking up are probably toddlers or teenagers!

I used to wake up constantly after just a few hours. I tried some sleep hypnosis videos on YouTube, and they actually helped me stay asleep longer. The channel I used was Progressive Hypnosis, in case anyone else wants to try it!

I follow a ‘3-2-1’ routine along with regular exercise, and it’s helped me get closer to 8 hours. Basically: No food 3 hours before bed, no drinks 2 hours before, and no screens 1 hour before. Daily exercise really helps too.

Sticking to a regular sleep schedule has been a game-changer for me.