Take long, deep, slow breaths. Follow your breath the whole way through inhale and exhale. When your mind wanders and wonders bring it back to the breath. Keep bringing your focus back to the breath and you will rest easier and easier. Peace

Absolutely! I know precisely what you are talking about.

I hate to post links as answers, but in this case, this link is to a YouTube video that you can watch at 3 am that will calm your mind. It is specifically designed to calm racing thoughts. I have used it, and it works! You can research the method, called EMDR, as you please. It really does help. And it is better than anything else that I have tried.

There are two other things to consider: the first is that you may be suffering from depression. Early waking is a sign of depression.

Secondly, you may need a sleep study. I have had one, and discovered that I suffer from panic attacks and apnea in my sleep. A sleep doctor could get to the real bottom of what is going on with you. If you snore, this is a BIG clue that you have a sleep disorder.

Good luck,

Jai

"Somehow, I wondered if this phenomena was more common. From the responses, I guess it is not a problem for most people" haha. . . I read this when you originally posted it; just to dang tired to reply.

Usually (NOT, always) the 3 am wakening is a sign of anxiety & or panic attacks. Panic attacks may be attributed to or caused by sleep apnea. Many don't even realize it is a panic attack. When you wake early in the morning; it could very well be a sign of depression - so unless you usually rise at 5 am; I'm thinkin' this is anxiety & not depression.

Neither are my problem; nonetheless, I am very familiar with people who suffer from panic disorders. Getting out of bed & going outside to get fresh air can help clear your thoughts & increase your oxygen levels.

Glad your addressing your sleep apnea, Bill & it's working for you. If you still have issues; like Jai said, a sleep study could be very beneficial.. Latest research states loud & clear the dangers of sleeping pills; so I wouldn't advise that route.

ETA

It's also advisable to sleep in a cooler room. Having a window cracked or a fan to circulate air also helps.

A mind cannot be occupied by both a positive and a negative thought. Therefore, anytime a negative thought enters your mind, replace it with a positive thought. Use autosuggestion mixed with emotion. This is basically what the religions have advised for centuries. They call it prayer time in times of fear. If you are a believer, it should be easy to do-by connecting to Divine, but even if you are not you can still do it thru positive thoughts which is Divine's Grace. Remember, Truth remains Truth, regardless of you agree with it or not. Peace

I get that sometimes. It makes me feel sick to my stomach. I came up with a way to turn it around and get back to sleep. I use it now to go to sleep any time I think of it. It works great.

First I notice what kinds of thoughts I am having that are so disturbing. Then I put it into a category of not feeling loved or not feeling safe. The phrases that I have narrowed it down to are, "I am safe," and "I am loved." I repeat ONE of those phrases until I fall asleep. If my nose is plugged up, my phrase is, "I can breathe clearly."

I had started it out with more phrase options, custom to the current problem, but most of them fell into one of the two final phrases. When creating your own, they need to be positive, what you want, and stated in the present tense as if it were already true.

I don't suffer from sleep apnea or depression but wake up at 3 am most mornings. I found that geting up and writing is the best at this time of the morning as the rest of the world is still asleep so it is quiet and the creative juices are flowing.

If you suffer from negative thoughts when you wake up have yourself checked out by a doctor to make sure all is OK. Lack of oxygen due to sleep apnea could be a problem.

Get up and do something constructive. You can read or write or paint or whatever as long as it is quiet so you dont disturb the rest of the family. You will find your creative side is wonderful so early and you will feel good about it too.