Early awakening insomnia

Early waking is a form of difficulty sleeping when it happens repeatedly and leaves you unrefreshed or impaired during the day. Stress, anxiety, low mood, burnout, jet lag, pain, medicines, alcohol, noise, light, and an irregular sleep schedule can all contribute. Daytime sleepiness or difficulty concentrating may show that broken sleep is affecting daily functioning. The pattern does not identify one cause on its own.

Keep a consistent wake time, including after a poor night, and get daylight and gentle activity during the day. Make the bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortably cool. Avoid clock-watching; if you remain awake and alert, leave bed for a calm activity in dim light and return when sleepy. Limit late caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and heavy meals. Keep a brief sleep diary so a clinician can see timing, triggers, and daytime effects.

Arrange a GP consultation if early waking continues, affects work or driving, or occurs with persistent low mood, anxiety, marked daytime sleepiness, or difficulty concentrating. Seek urgent help for thoughts of self-harm, severe confusion, or several nights with unusually high energy and little need for sleep. A clinician can review medicines, mental health, physical symptoms, and the sleep pattern.

Ask what may be disturbing the second half of your sleep, whether depression or anxiety should be assessed, and which behavioural treatment or referral fits your pattern.