Early Morning Awakening?

[tor]

Hi everyone, a few months ago after a major stressor, I started waking up every morning between 2-4am (I usually wake up around 7am). Since then, my symptoms have gotten worse and worse until I finally broke down and talked to a doctor, who helped me understand that I'm suffering from anxiety/depression.

 

I've started taking an SSRI, and I'm just wondering if the medicine might help to improve my sleep? I know insomnia is a side effect, but I was hoping it might help me to start sleeping in again if there's less stress/worry on my mind all the time? So far I have no problem falling asleep. My mind just seems to wake up super early.

 

Thank you!

[NC86]

I never understood this concept of blaming sleep awakenings on anxiety or depression. If you are already asleep, how can one be anxious or depressed? That doesn't make sense to me. I cam see it bring difficult to fall asleep with anxiety but staying asleep?

[tor]

Hi NC86, I've read that depressed people actually develop different sleep architecture, rapidly entering/exiting REM sleep and missing out on the important deep sleep. 

[mellabella]

I get this too unfortunately even on an ssri especially if I'm stressed about something. I take an antihistamine tho which helps me sleep thru & my pdoc says it's ok for long term use.

[desperados]

Oh yes as the stress hormone cortisol at it's peak level in the morning.It's like a torture to wake up early,no matter what you do a tremendous anxiety pops out of you as the day starts you end up feeling terrible and sad at that time...

[Dheck]

Hi Tor, I don't think anyone will ever truly understand why this effects us the way it does. I'm sure my sleep wake cycle is different from yours, just as yours is different from someone else on here. Like mellabella I also use Benadryl at night to help me fall asleep. I tend to agree with NC86, makes no sense why doctors say it wakes you up when you're already asleep. For years I had awesome results from my AD and I slept like normal again, sleeping in or getting up early. Desperados hit the nail on the head, I def notice more anxiety issues first thing in the morning when I get up.

[desperados]

Yes Dheck while in depression it's like brain has it's own timer for sleep,depression does autopilot your brain to wake up in a certain time everyday,no matter you do you end up waking up early with anxiety and couldn't go back to sleeping.

[The Purist]

I have had sleep issues for many years.  Ranging from not being able to awake, waking every hour to not being able to sleep at all.  The only thing that has helped me has been taking Ativan before I go to bed.  At this point I do not think it is working therapeutically but it must help me mentally as my sleep is pretty solid once I take it.  It helped me with the issue of getting up in the middle of the night and eating as well.  I have been told this is due to a serotonin imbalance but I still do it from time to time.  But  now it is small snack, whereas before I would awake and eat a ton.

[Marie241]

Any insomnia or early waking is an indication to me that my depression may be returning or worse, or at the least that I'm very stressed. I'm not sure what causes early morning waking, but yours may very well improve. Do remember that all of the ADs take time to work.