Alcohol-Sleep Problems-Over Dreaming-U2?
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Osaka Japan
Posts: 55
Alcohol-Sleep Problems-Over Dreaming-U2?
When I was using I was often downright afraid to go to sleep. I had nightmares, the sweats, and so on. I felt like sleeping was the worst time of the day for me. Now I know why.
When alcoholics drink anytime from late afternoon to right before bed, sleep consists almost entirely of brief periods of REM sleep (dream sleep), disrupted by numerous awakenings.
Why is over-dreaming bad for me? Basically, because dreaming is hard work. The dreaming itself is not a restful activity. Dreaming is called 'paradoxical sleep' because brain wave patterns are similar to those of the brain when completely awake.
Dreaming is a state of arousal. As far as much of the brain is concerned, the dream is real. So adrenaline and other stress hormones in the system will be active in the body.
This is a double edged sword, because over-dreaming, as well as using up these hormones and energy, is actually making it harder for the body to make more. As we try to flush out the incomplete emotions, we spend more time in REM sleep, and therefore less time in deep sleep, when our body should be recuperating in preparation for producing these hormones for the next day.
So if we are over-dreaming we're not resting but flooding our system with adrenaline and other stress hormones. If most of our sleep consists of dreams, our body and mind will begin to feel very tired during the day.
People in this situation often report that the worst time of day is first thing in the morning.
As the day progresses, their hormones replenish themselves and their energy levels increase, and they are better able to motivate themselves.
However, because we do so much more ruminating, or introspecting the brain has to increase the amount of dreaming we do. And before long we are missing out on physically-rejuvenating Slow Wave Sleep.
We deplete our hormonal system with extended night-time emotional arousal.
This exhausts our 'orientation response' - a crucial brain activity that allows us to change our focus of attention and so motivate ourselves. It is also a key part of concentration.
DANGER: Recovery and Relapse. Despite some improvement after withdrawal subsides, sleep patterns may never return to normal in those with alcoholism, even after years of abstinence. Abstinent alcoholics tend to sleep poorly, with decreased amounts of SWS and increased nighttime wakefulness that could make sleep less restorative and contribute to daytime fatigue. Resumption of heavy drinking leads to increased SWS and decreased wakefulness. This apparent improvement in sleep continuity may promote relapse by contributing to the mistaken impression that alcohol consumption improves sleep. Nevertheless, as drinking continues, sleep patterns again become disrupted.
On a personal note...I am still experiencing some disrupted sleep some 5 weeks later, but the nature of the dreams has changed. I use to suffer from extreme nightmares quite often, but now they are just vivid dreams. Sometimes violent and sometimes not. Once again. Hope this info helps someone out there understand what is going on with us.
I sincerely welcome any comments about shared experiences or advice about improving sleep patterns. Thanks for letting me share.
Sources:
http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk...erstanding.htm
Alcohol and Sleep
When alcoholics drink anytime from late afternoon to right before bed, sleep consists almost entirely of brief periods of REM sleep (dream sleep), disrupted by numerous awakenings.
Why is over-dreaming bad for me? Basically, because dreaming is hard work. The dreaming itself is not a restful activity. Dreaming is called 'paradoxical sleep' because brain wave patterns are similar to those of the brain when completely awake.
Dreaming is a state of arousal. As far as much of the brain is concerned, the dream is real. So adrenaline and other stress hormones in the system will be active in the body.
This is a double edged sword, because over-dreaming, as well as using up these hormones and energy, is actually making it harder for the body to make more. As we try to flush out the incomplete emotions, we spend more time in REM sleep, and therefore less time in deep sleep, when our body should be recuperating in preparation for producing these hormones for the next day.
So if we are over-dreaming we're not resting but flooding our system with adrenaline and other stress hormones. If most of our sleep consists of dreams, our body and mind will begin to feel very tired during the day.
People in this situation often report that the worst time of day is first thing in the morning.
As the day progresses, their hormones replenish themselves and their energy levels increase, and they are better able to motivate themselves.
However, because we do so much more ruminating, or introspecting the brain has to increase the amount of dreaming we do. And before long we are missing out on physically-rejuvenating Slow Wave Sleep.
We deplete our hormonal system with extended night-time emotional arousal.
This exhausts our 'orientation response' - a crucial brain activity that allows us to change our focus of attention and so motivate ourselves. It is also a key part of concentration.
DANGER: Recovery and Relapse. Despite some improvement after withdrawal subsides, sleep patterns may never return to normal in those with alcoholism, even after years of abstinence. Abstinent alcoholics tend to sleep poorly, with decreased amounts of SWS and increased nighttime wakefulness that could make sleep less restorative and contribute to daytime fatigue. Resumption of heavy drinking leads to increased SWS and decreased wakefulness. This apparent improvement in sleep continuity may promote relapse by contributing to the mistaken impression that alcohol consumption improves sleep. Nevertheless, as drinking continues, sleep patterns again become disrupted.
On a personal note...I am still experiencing some disrupted sleep some 5 weeks later, but the nature of the dreams has changed. I use to suffer from extreme nightmares quite often, but now they are just vivid dreams. Sometimes violent and sometimes not. Once again. Hope this info helps someone out there understand what is going on with us.
I sincerely welcome any comments about shared experiences or advice about improving sleep patterns. Thanks for letting me share.
Sources:
http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk...erstanding.htm
Alcohol and Sleep
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Here is a link I often share on sleeping problems
tho it has nothing to do with alcoholism.
Insomnia? 42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures
Personally.....I've never liked to sleep. My Dad insisted on
a very early bedtime for children. Even as a teen....
the deadline was 8 p.m.
As my room was in the back wing....this allowed me to
put my radio under the covers.......read with a flashlight....
I also took my pillows into my closet ..turned on the light
and read after my parents were asleep.
I still sleep with the TV or radio on....I like the company.
Sometimes I dream...sometimes not. No big deal.
If these actions ruined my health I've not noticed.
I'm 73 ...too darn late to worry about sleeping patterns.
I left SR to sleep 4 hours this a.m.
I feel rested and alive. I will take an
afternoon nap to refresh my spirit.
Sooo....my sleeping is not connected to my alcoholism.
tho it has nothing to do with alcoholism.
Insomnia? 42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures
Personally.....I've never liked to sleep. My Dad insisted on
a very early bedtime for children. Even as a teen....
the deadline was 8 p.m.
As my room was in the back wing....this allowed me to
put my radio under the covers.......read with a flashlight....
I also took my pillows into my closet ..turned on the light
and read after my parents were asleep.
I still sleep with the TV or radio on....I like the company.
Sometimes I dream...sometimes not. No big deal.
If these actions ruined my health I've not noticed.
I'm 73 ...too darn late to worry about sleeping patterns.
I left SR to sleep 4 hours this a.m.
I feel rested and alive. I will take an
afternoon nap to refresh my spirit.
Sooo....my sleeping is not connected to my alcoholism.
non-drinker
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 13,846
When I finally sobered up, the first thing that got better was my sleeping habits. After years of fitful sleep and hardly any dreaming, I'm back to a full 8 hours of restful sleep, with normal dreaming patterns back to where they should be.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: The Plains
Posts: 149
Thanks for the info. Oddly, I've always felt that the nights when I dream are the ones when I feel most rested. I usually tend to dream intensely in the morning right before I wake up, like around 6 or 7 am.
I can't agree more that sobriety means good, deep, and restful sleep.
Other things that have helped me is listening to music before I sleep, earplugs, a face mask to block out light, keeping the room cool, and keeping a pillow under my legs - which really helps with posture.
I can't agree more that sobriety means good, deep, and restful sleep.
Other things that have helped me is listening to music before I sleep, earplugs, a face mask to block out light, keeping the room cool, and keeping a pillow under my legs - which really helps with posture.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 758
Every time I had stopped drinking before this one I always had trouble sleeping. It was either I would lay in bed wide awake for 2-3hrs before I would finally doze off, or I'd doze off and have weird dreams and wake up a few times during the night never getting a good nights sleep. Matter of fact it wasn't even a month ago I posted about some sleep issues I was having.
The most amazing thing to me now is....Since I finally got honest with myself and got real about sobriety 11 days ago I've been sleeping better the past 10/11 days then I have in probably the last 15 yrs. I still stay up a bit late online or watching TV, but soon as I lay down now I fall right to sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
I'm sure everyone has their own reasons for sleep problems. But for me I really feel that finally being honest with myself about getting sober has removed all the things that made me have sleep prob's/dreams before such as anxiety, guilt, shame, defiance and all the other things that use to run around wild inside my mind where I couldn't turn them off when I lay down.
Steve
The most amazing thing to me now is....Since I finally got honest with myself and got real about sobriety 11 days ago I've been sleeping better the past 10/11 days then I have in probably the last 15 yrs. I still stay up a bit late online or watching TV, but soon as I lay down now I fall right to sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
I'm sure everyone has their own reasons for sleep problems. But for me I really feel that finally being honest with myself about getting sober has removed all the things that made me have sleep prob's/dreams before such as anxiety, guilt, shame, defiance and all the other things that use to run around wild inside my mind where I couldn't turn them off when I lay down.
Steve
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