Been waking up three times a night and not being able to sleep past 7-8am
i moved to singapore 2 months ago and ever since moving here i’ve had problems with sleeping. it started off with me waking up at 7-8am, despite sleeping around 1-2am every night. at first i thought it was because of the light, so i invested in some blockout curtains and sleep with an eye mask. however, for the past 3 weeks, i’ve started waking up in the middle of the night at least 2-3 times every night, even when it’s dark - so i don’t think the light is the main problem here
noise is another factor that i suspect is affecting me too. i’m living in a shared apartment with other students and becuase it’s kind of old, the doors are pretty low quality in terms of soundproofing and you need to close the door with lots of pressure to fully close it. my room is also next to the bathroom, which also makes a loud and shape noise when closing. i’ve just bought some earplugs that i’ll try tonight but i’m honestly not sure how much this will really help.
i’ve always been a light sleeper so i do suspect that all of these factors (noise, light and the humidity) are combining to affect my sleep. however i just want to understand why everyday for the past 3 weeks i’ve been waking up throughout the night at like 2am, 4am, etc. without a proper explanation. i’ve also tried chamomile tea, magnesium pills, etc. but i don’t think those have been helping at all.
another thing is that becuase of my sleep deprivation now (been sleeping 4-5 hours every night, 6 on a good night), my heartbeat tends to “pound” when im waking up in the morning. i’ve tried seeing doctors about this issue and they’ve prescribed me with some anxiety pills, but honestly i haven’t found that they’ve helped that much.
i’ve been recommended some gamma oryzanol pills which im currently waiting to arrive, since i was told that can help as a sleep aid. but at this point, i’m not sure how helpful this will actually be.
i usually have no problem with falling asleep, but staying asleep is the problem. so i would appreciate any advice i could get. thanks!
This sounds very frustrating and I can empathise with this. One thing that occurred to me is that usually Singapore has excellent healthcare - have they suggested sleep therapy/CBTI/ACTI? Often once the 'vicious circle' sets in with sleeplessness, it isn't very responsive to external aids/sleep supplements/sleep hygiene.
If you'd like to read a bit more on this topic, there are many articles here on the site but here is a good one that helps set the frame for understanding how the cycle works. https://insomnia.sleep-disorders.net/clinical/three-factors-model
Thanks so much for being here with us!
Warmly, Tracy (Team Member)
Hi
. My heart goes out to you. Sleeping in a new country and a new environment with roommates is a difficult adjustment. We are not medical experts, but I would caution you against taking supplements without a doctor's recommendation, especially since you don't know what is happening with you. When I get that heart-pounding feeling upon waking, it usually means my blood pressure is high, often because I've had difficultly breathing at night or a bad dream. I wonder if the bathroom might be your biggest issue. If you are already a light sleeper, you might be reacting to sounds of others using the bathrom during the night either in your apartment or in others throughout the building. Water might be moving through the pipes near your room even if people are flushing toilets or using the sink in other apartments. Have you considered buying a fan or a white noise machine? Sometimes, a steady noise that overrides occassional noises can help you stay asleep. I hope the earplugs help. Wishing you the best. - Lori (Team Member)
