For the past week, my body has thought it's a great idea to wake up EVERY DAY between 4-4:30 a.m. Why? Because I like to torture myself obviously. (I don't know why honestly) I can't fall back asleep til about 6 a.m. and then sleep for a few hours.
I have NO idea on how to break this cycle. I'm usually good about turning off my phone/computer at least 30 minutes before I try to go to bed. I read a book or just cuddle whatever dog is stuck with me for the night. Just thing to try to relax the brain and to shut down. But this little hiccup is literally taking a toll on my body.
If anyone can suggest something to help, I would greatly appreciate. (+rep)
@(you need an account to see links) I'm sorry to hear that you're having some trouble sleeping. I used to wake up around ~4-5am every morning and I was so annoyed and exhausted because of it. If I were you, I'd try turning off all electronic devices at least an hour before going to bed so your body/mind really have time to relax before going to bed. Reading before going to sleep is definitely a good idea also as it helps your brain relax and it puts you in a more stable state of mind to go to bed.
I'm not sure if this would work for you, but drinking a cup of chamomile tea before heading to bed really did wonders for me. I had read a little about it on the Internet and apparently it's pretty good for sleeping problems! If I were you, I'd try it out!
Also, I'm not sure if you are, but I'd avoid eating food a few hours before going to bed (~3 hours or so). Going to bed with a full stomach can trouble your cycles and might be the reason why you'd wake up early in the morning.
I have been sleeping a lot better too since I changed my food habits to healthier ones also. I have been trying to exercise a little everyday and that makes me feel more tired at night, so I end up sleeping a lot better (not waking up anymore early in the morning either).
Hopefully something between those lines will help you out! I hope it gets fixed pretty soon.
What do you normally do when you wake up at 4am? Is there any light sources coming into your room or do you turn on a light ect?
What type of lighting do you have in your room, light can disturb the melatonin levels in your body. So if you read with your main bedroom lights on, try a lamp instead(with a dimmer light but also so you can still read).
Im on a weird sleep cycle myself nowdays. I just find music to listen to and lay back. sometimes it helps sometimes i learn 50 new artists and 400 new songs lol
@(you need an account to see links) you could visit a sleep clinic. Not sure how they work in the states, but you can get a referral from your family doctor here. It could be sleep apnea or something like that. My mom had a similar problem and it turns out she had sleep apnea and wasn't getting enough oxygen at night.