I'm so happy I found this thread! My just turned 3yo had been a great sleeper, but for the last 4 weeks has woken up early and decided to get out of bed (which he has always been told not to do). Started with him just getting up and opening the door, but for the last 10 days or so he wakes up at 5ish (or even earlier, once it was 1am) and screams and cries horribly. Sometimes he's gotten out of bed and then can't find his way back in (his room is very dark) and gets distressed, but sometimes I go in and he's just sitting or lying there yelling. And it is so hard to convince him it is still night time and not time to turn on the light and read books (which was what we used to say, as that wasn't too bad!). He's completely irrational about it and it wakes everyone else up - horrible when I usually have to get up twice to the baby (yes, she used to sleep better too.....) and it means my husband gets angry and can't go back to sleep either. We discuss it every day in a calm time, talking about what the right behaviours are, and he can tell me what to do, he just doesn't do it. He's also very sensitive so if either of us gets angry or upset this winds him up even further.

I don't know what to do, but I'm hoping someone can help. I am struggling anyway at the moment with PND and some other life issues so I'm not so resilient and resourceful as usual. Has a night light helped anyone? I'm losing the will to survive this struggle.