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-   -   Does the Insomnia Ever Go Away? (https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/alcoholism/386538-does-insomnia-ever-go-away.html)

notgonnadrinknm 03-09-2016 04:20 PM

Does the Insomnia Ever Go Away?
 
I started drinking heavily about 10 years ago. After a couple years of alcoholism, I started getting really bad insomnia that has persisted ever since. I sleep about 4 or 5 hours a night. I quit about 6 months ago, but I stil can't get enough sleep to function. Does anyone know how long an alcoholic must abstain for before he or she starts to sleep like they did before alcoholism? Has anyone else had experience with the same problem and recovered? Thanks in advance.

zjw 03-09-2016 04:26 PM

couple years for me. i started excercising i guess that sorta helped but even then I went through a phase where i was getting only 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night and oddly felt great and functioned fine despite the lack of sleep this went on for months too it was very strange.

I also had the added benefit of kids so even nights where finally things where going ok ALAS i'd get screwed becasue one of the kids would have me up for whatever reason.

But finally now years later I seem to do ok now ::knock on wood::

One ODD thing i quit caffine you would think that would help right? Not in my case on mornings where i have a cup of coffee that evening i tend to sleep better.

ScottFromWI 03-09-2016 04:47 PM

Took me a while too, but there could also be other factors besides quitting. Anxiety, depression, diet, exercise ( or lack of ) and even general habits before bedtime ( not eating too close to sleep time, not watching tv etc ) can all play a part. Getting a general checkup of your health and sharing the issue with a doc can't hurt either.

phlowing 03-09-2016 05:20 PM

Shortly after quitting booze my sleep was hit or miss, I think. . I can fall asleep like a rock and about 5 out of 7 nights/week and sleep about 7 or 8 hours no problem I have also gone from being a night person (my drinking time) to a morning person. It's not even 8:30 pm now and looking forward to calling it a night. Everyone is different though but it got better for me with time.

Gottalife 03-09-2016 11:59 PM

I slept like a baby the day after I addressed the skeletons in my closet. That was a couple of months in.

Soberwolf 03-10-2016 05:34 AM

it does I still get it occasionally things like winding down early & reading before going bed really helps

SoberinSyracuse 03-10-2016 06:58 AM

Right before I quit drinking, my addiction counselor told me to expect about 12-18 months before my neurotransmitters (including wake/sleep) would be functioning normally.

This is one of the reasons I shelled out for the IV amino acid therapy. I was SCARED I wouldn't be able to hold out that long. Fortunately, the therapy worked as promised and I was "cured" of all those problems immediately. Slept like a baby immediately.

Whether you take the fast route or the slow route, rest assured that it does get better.

notgonnadrinknm 03-10-2016 12:48 PM


Originally Posted by zjw (Post 5841638)
couple years for me. i started excercising i guess that sorta helped but even then I went through a phase where i was getting only 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night and oddly felt great and functioned fine despite the lack of sleep this went on for months too it was very strange.

I also had the added benefit of kids so even nights where finally things where going ok ALAS i'd get screwed becasue one of the kids would have me up for whatever reason.

But finally now years later I seem to do ok now ::knock on wood::

One ODD thing i quit caffine you would think that would help right? Not in my case on mornings where i have a cup of coffee that evening i tend to sleep better.

Hi, thanks for getting back to me. It's funny that you mentioned that about coffee. I remember that before I was an alcoholic, I would sleep better post-coffee as well. I acutally remmber drinking coffee several times and then falling asleep like 20 or 30 minutes later. I miss those days.

notgonnadrinknm 03-10-2016 12:49 PM


Originally Posted by soberwolf (Post 5842499)
it does I still get it occasionally things like winding down early & reading before going bed really helps

Hi, how log did it take you before you were getting at least 6 hours of sleep a night after quitting?

least 03-10-2016 01:38 PM

It took me several months before I was sleeping better. It took the first year to get my sleep patterns reestablished.

If it doesn't get better at a year sober, I'd see the doctor for a physical check up.

thomas11 03-10-2016 02:37 PM

I've had sleep issues my entire life with or without alcohol. It was a prime reason I started drinking so much. I did sleep when drinking, but I know its not quality rest. I take some over the counter herbal stuff now at bedtime and I sleep pretty good.

NYCDoglvr 03-11-2016 10:18 AM

I'm sober 24 years and have dealt with insomnia throughout. My shrink prescribes Trazadone (an anti-depressant) and a low dose of a low dose of Quentipine, both cause drowsiness. The last few weeks I've been sleeping. I suggest seeing your doctor.

Outonthetiles 03-13-2016 05:25 AM

I am perpetually jet lagged. Day 39

notgonnadrinknm 10-27-2016 05:17 PM


Originally Posted by zjw (Post 5841638)
couple years for me. i started excercising i guess that sorta helped but even then I went through a phase where i was getting only 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night and oddly felt great and functioned fine despite the lack of sleep this went on for months too it was very strange.

I also had the added benefit of kids so even nights where finally things where going ok ALAS i'd get screwed becasue one of the kids would have me up for whatever reason.

But finally now years later I seem to do ok now ::knock on wood::

One ODD thing i quit caffine you would think that would help right? Not in my case on mornings where i have a cup of coffee that evening i tend to sleep better.

Thanks so much. Is it possible in those two years that you were sober and your sleep got much better, you occasionally accidentally consumed a sauce on food that maybe contained wine. This has happened to me at least twice and I found out about it later.

BrendaChenowyth 10-27-2016 05:25 PM

I had it bad the first ten days of sobriety this time... then I slept like a baby for a while.... then I opened up the closet door and let all the skeletons come and play, and now they keep me up most nights. I will find coffins for them all though and lay them to rest so that I can rest. Like my homage to Halloween? lmao goofy mood

zjw 10-27-2016 06:00 PM

I often wonder how long of a stretch others sleep in I tend to sleep in 1 hour stretches if I sleep I'm up hourly or so it stinks. When I was younger I could sleep 8-12 hours without waking man I miss those days.

trachemys 10-27-2016 06:10 PM

one of the things booze covers is pain. I found that a couple of Alleve (naproxen sodium) about 7 or 8 PM makes a good night sleep.

SnazzyDresser 10-27-2016 06:45 PM

I still have some insomnia roughly 5 months in. It has improved quite a bit over the early days though.


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