Rockbottom1964

I’ve seen this subject mentioned so many times on SR and I don’t think any of us with a drinking problem can say “that's not me”. Not one of us sleep as well as we would/should if we did not drink. Those who (think) they do, I think, have forgotten what it really is to sleep well. Me included.

When I drank, I used to get up 5 times – sometimes more – each night to go empty my bladder. Dehydrating myself and drinking copious amounts of water each time I got up, which of course just caused the cycle to continue. When I did sleep, it was poorly and never “deep”, always in a sort of semi-awake state. Crazy dreams and sweats and thoughts of more drinking; many, many times I got up at 3 or 4 and poured myself a drink and switched on the computer or TV. Even when my wife was still in hell with me; I remember trying to hide the sound of ice falling into a glass by coughing and/or loudly clearing my throat… Have you been there?? Because that’s how bad I was – a sometimes half a bottle of Scotch by 10 am, guy. Passing out twice a day and waking up and almost straightaway drinking again…

I think I began sleeping better around 2 weeks or so after I stopped drinking; once the nightmares and night-sweats and craving began getting less/better. Probably about 3 months before I managed 3 hours or a bit more at a stretch, but it was good sleep. The sort of sleep I’d forgotten I’d once had. Deep and refreshing and mostly dreamless.

Last night, after almost 10 months of being sober, I slept for 7 – yes, seven – beautiful, uninterrupted hours. Fell asleep (easily) at 11 and was woken up by birds singing outside just after 6. Was surprised to see it was already full daylight. Time to let my doggies out and have that first coffee. Feeling good and grateful

To those of you just starting your sober journey, I can say with a 100% assurance - it gets better each and every day. And if I can do it, so can you. Just hang in there.

Have a great sober day, all you SR guys; and/or a great night’s sleep, wherever you are…

Bethany57

Thanks for the reminder that sleep is so much better when you are sober!

D122y

Jealous here.

Clean for over 5 years and I have never slept for 7 hours straight.

Usually I sleep about 3 to 4 hours, wake up for 1 to 2 hours, and then sleep for another 2 to 3 hours.

I will take it over my horrible drinking sleep patterns, much like yours.

Looking forward to routinely sleeping 7 hours straight. Optimistic it is coming eventually.

Thanks.

Hawkeye13

The insomnia and bad dreams, sweats and endless need to pee are some of the worst "by products" of drinking in my view. Every time I've relapsed, that's the thing the most makes me want to get back on the wagon.

That and relief from the horrible morning anxiety which is almost debilitating.

Rockbottom1964

Good to hear from you, Hawk. Got your PM. Have a great week.

Rockbottom1964

Good things come to all of those who wait, D122. It will happen someday soon, I'm sure

Rockbottom1964

Thank you, Beth. And have a great week.

Dee74

I haven't really slept right since the pandemic started but I look forward to an end to that and a return to sleeping through the night

D

fini

D122y, i have never slept through the night in many decades now. yes, decades.
and yeah, sober sleep is WAAAYYY better than when i was drinking, and even though i wake several times every night from some pain or another, being awake soberly does not have any resemblance to the horrid waking and passed outness when drunk. the racing heart. the fear. the promises of never again. the desperation and disgust. blahblahblah.

you and i may never sleep as well as others....so what? i doubt i ever will sleep well, since i haven’t, so far.

i AM looking into getting a much better mattress, though, which might make quite a difference.

Rockbottom1964

[QUOTE=fini;7520962]D122y, i have never slept through the night in many decades now. yes, decades.
and yeah, sober sleep is WAAAYYY better than when i was drinking, and even though i wake several times every night from some pain or another, being awake soberly does not have any resemblance to the horrid waking and passed outness when drunk. the racing heart. the fear. the promises of never again. the desperation and disgust. blahblahblah.

you and i may never sleep as well as others....so what? i doubt i ever will sleep well, since i haven’t, so far.

i AM looking into getting a much better mattress, though, which might make quite a difference.[/QU

Duplicate post. Sorry...

Rockbottom1964

Thanks, Dee and fini. And we don't wake up with hangovers, which is a hUGE plus, right? I've got a firm Bamboo-Top mattress, fini. Best bed I ever slept on.
Have a great week, both of you.

Kaneda8888

I drink a lot of tea at night which makes interruptions a necessity. Aside from that I sleep like the dead. The beauty of sobriety!

Phil71els

A bit like Kaneda I drink too much tea in the evenings and so usually need to get up once. If I do manage to not have to get get up my wife usually wakes me to tell me to stop snoring. Annoying as hell.

Aellyce

Yes, good and restful sleep is one of the greatest benefits of sustained sobriety. I am also one of those who never really sleeps through the night (it was better in my youth, but not much) without waking 2-3 times (not necessarily to go to the bathroom), and have some bad habits starting to read or get on the computer sometimes when that happens, then go back to sleep after a while. But I don't mind now as I don't feel fatigued during the day due to it. It was definitely not the case while drinking. Part of the construct how I got addicted to alcohol was when I started using it to regulate my sleep/wake cycle, to match my crazy (self-imposed) work hours. Horrible idea!

snitch

My post is going to be a bit ironic really as it is 3am in the UK and I am awake and on my phone, but I absolutely love sober sleep.! I went to bed really early last night and woke for the bathroom and I will go back to sleep again shortly but I remember (and I never want to forget either) passing out drunk and then coming to around this time of the morning, full of fear, terror, and despair. Heart racing, sweating, dry mouth, glugging water and continually having to get up for the toilet. Just tossing and turning feeling utterly hopeless and desperate until the sun starts rising and then just wanting to stay under the covers all day and not face the world. I NEVER EVER want to go back to that Hell on Earth.

So even as I lie here awake in the middle of tbe night, I am not feeling like any of the above and to top it all my little girl is snoring gently next to me and she is SAFE with me as I am a sober and present mummy today 🥰🥰

Yaaaaaawn, feeling sleepy again. Night all

🙏♥️🙏♥️

D122y

i was out by about 8 pm last night...woke at midnight.

Want to get up around 4 to enjoy a coffee and shower before work.

it is frustrating having to be in bed for 10 hours or so to get 6 or 7 hours of sleep. But i will take it over being a drunk any day for ever.

Thanks.

least

It took me a while to sort out my sleep patterns after I got sober but it was worth the wait. Being sober meant I was able and willing to walk my dogs more often and the resulting exercise and fresh air and sunshine improved my sleep so much. Now I sleep so well and wake up feeling good most mornings.

Sober sleep really rocks!

Rockbottom1964

Hi, least. Yes, I know exactly what you mean. My doggies and I get more exercise these days in a month than we used to in a year. It makes me feel guilty to see how much they enjoy their outings (also to escape this toxic environment we are in, even for an hour or so) because I know that their previous neglect on the exercise side is all my and alcohol's fault. Anyway, water under the bridge, as they say. The exercise also helps us sleep better, of course. Have a wonderful week.

Dropsie

How is it going?

We are going back into lockdown...or close to it

Rockbottom1964

Hi, Dropsie. "Just walking in the rain", here. Good days and bad, or rather bad days and not so bad. My situation remains the same, but as you know, I'm working on changing it. The surrounds I'm in, unfortunately, gets so "toxic" at times (a lot), that I just get up and walk away, even if it is just 30 or 40 metres. Just to get away from the virulent hatred, screaming and slurring and swearing of the old man. My writing, then, of course, just stops; imagination and peace having flown, yet again - my characters gone into hiding...
Gods...Lock-down again? Where are you, Dropsie? because if it's happening anywhere, the government here will shortly follow suit - only much stricter and longer than anywhere else - to show the rest of the world that in Africa they/we do it better. Sorry, Dee. I'm going to have to start watching the numbers again; when they begin going up, Lockdown will kick in again, and a much worse hell for me - like the last time of the alcoholics going dry.
Your friend, RB.