I wake up every 1.5-3 hours every night, a pattern that’s been consistent for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I can fall back asleep quickly, but other times I find myself awake for 2-3 hours, feeling extremely alert and worrying excessively. Is this frequent waking normal, or is there an underlying issue? Shouldn’t we be sleeping straight through the night?
Stress can significantly impact your sleep. It sounds like you’re going through a particularly stressful period with school, work, and personal life changes. This might be contributing to your disrupted sleep.
@Lin
Yes, I’m currently dealing with a lot of stressors including school, work, moving, and my husband’s upcoming deployment, not to mention financial worries.
Firth said:
@Lin
Yes, I’m currently dealing with a lot of stressors including school, work, moving, and my husband’s upcoming deployment, not to mention financial worries.
Waking every 90 minutes could be linked to stress rather than a physical issue like sleep apnea. Consider exploring ways to manage stress or even discussing medication options with a healthcare provider that can help manage your stress and anxiety at night without relying on medication for sleep.
@Tobin
I’ve tried ADHD medication before but didn’t like the effects. I’m hesitant to rely on medication for sleep.
Firth said:
@Tobin
I’ve tried ADHD medication before but didn’t like the effects. I’m hesitant to rely on medication for sleep.
It’s worth considering how much your sleep issues may be affecting your overall health, including your ADHD. While it’s good to be cautious about sleep meds, sometimes they can provide the necessary relief to break a cycle of poor sleep.
It’s quite common for me as well.
Given that your father has sleep apnea, it’s possible you might have it too. It can be genetic. I recommend getting a sleep study done to rule it out.
Pat said:
Given that your father has sleep apnea, it’s possible you might have it too. It can be genetic. I recommend getting a sleep study done to rule it out.
My dad does use a CPAP machine for his sleep apnea. I’ll look into getting a sleep study done. Thanks for the advice!
I have sleep maintenance insomnia, which sounds similar to what you’re experiencing. For me, it’s linked to silent GERD and asthma.
Darwin said:
I have sleep maintenance insomnia, which sounds similar to what you’re experiencing. For me, it’s linked to silent GERD and asthma.
Could you elaborate on how GERD and asthma affect your sleep?
Physical activity can greatly improve sleep quality. Maybe increasing your exercise could help.
You should also consider whether you might have upper airway resistance syndrome or sleep apnea, especially if you have symptoms like nasal congestion when lying down.
Waking up frequently is definitely not normal and could indicate a deeper issue.
Stevie said:
Waking up frequently is definitely not normal and could indicate a deeper issue.
Looking for helpful advice, not just stating the obvious.
Stevie said:
Waking up frequently is definitely not normal and could indicate a deeper issue.
Looking for helpful advice, not just stating the obvious.
Sometimes lack of sleep can make everything seem more frustrating. Hang in there!