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Waking up during the middle of the night.

Ok, for the past year I have noticed that I am waking up during the night.
It is usually 2-3 times a night and sometimes 5.
Is this due to anxiety? Or something else?

please post your comments,
I will answer any questions.
2 Responses
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Avatar universal
Have you had your thyroid checked? That's when I started having all of my sleep problems.
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Avatar universal
Hi.

You might be suffering from chronic insomnia. There can be several underlying causes for this.  Medical conditions include chronic pain syndromes (example arthritis, cancer), advanced COPD, chronic renal disease, chronic fatigue syndrome; Neurologic conditions like - headache syndromes; psychiatric conditions like depression and anxiety. It may also be linked to alcohol or stimulants.

I would advise that you consult a sleep specialist or a physician with your sleep diary for a complete medical evaluation. The treatment is directed towards rephasing the sleep cycle and circadian rhythm in accordance with the external environment. Your doctor may advise a polysomnogram (an overnight sleep study) or prescribe some medication to treat insomnia (hypnotics).

Sleep therapy along with sleep hygiene (avoiding caffeine, alcohol and tobacco as well as stress reduction) in due course of time helps the patient get proper night sleep. You should also not read or watch TV while in bed and go to bed only when you feel very sleepy.

The other treatment options available are bright light therapy and chronotherapy. Your doctor may advise you some Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which might improve your sleep. The different approaches used are stimulus control, sleep restriction, relaxation therapy, psychotherapy and maintaining sleep hygiene.

Following these measures your sleep cycle should improve over a certain period of time.

Take care

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