scared1

Today is Day 3 for me but a few weeks ago I went 6 days without drinking and both of these non alcohol times I have had a real hard time sleeping. Is this normal at the beginning?
I use to drunk til I passed out for the night and now I can't seem to get a good night sleep. I toss, turn get up and will stay awake from 2:am- 4:am and when I need to wake up by 6:30am for work, I feel so tired, so strained and out of focus the rest of the day.
Has anyone else experienced this? And if so do you have any suggestions to help me sleep?
I don't want to take any pill because I am afraid to replace one addiction and get another. I am afraid to take a sleeping pill or tylenol pm etc.
I am so tired all the time. I don't even have any energy to clean my house. At least when I drank I had energy to go for a run or gym once a week. Right now I get home from work and make dinner and that's about all the energy I have.
Any help would be appreciated, I need to sleep!!!
I just want to know if this is normal, and if anyone else has experienced this. Thanks

LaFemme

This is super normal...it lasts anywhere from 3 days to about 8...it has tripped me up several times, because I got to day 5 and was just like f*ck it I need to sleep. But I'm happy to say I got through it and I sleep much better now.

Keep in mind, that the sleep you get from passing out isn't actually quality sleep.

Good luck!

scared1

thank you LaFemme, it is very frustrating to not sleep. It adds to my stress. I am a newly single mom and now I wake up all night unable to sleep and I walk around the house to make sure all doors are locked, windows are closed, I hear everything and nothing going on outside. I really want to sleep the whole night. And get rid of this stress or paranoia. I also want my energy back.

LexieCat

It will all come back. You need to give it time and to do everything you can for yourself to stay healthy in the meantime.

What you are experiencing is an absolutely normal part of recovery. Panicking over it makes it worse. Wait it out, be good to yourself.

Ainslie

Hey, not all medications are addictive and restoring a decent sleep cycle can be really challenging for some people - I understand your fear in taking pills and replacing addictions and so should your doctor. For me, the stress of insomnia and not meeting work requirements outweighed the worry of acquiring another addiction - so I take medication to help me sleep. Everyones different, but understand there is a lot of options when it comes to medication - and on closer examination you might find they arent all as scary as they seem. I was prescribed antidepressants 3 times before I actually took them. Then when I did, I used them for about a year, and came off them without a problem - so far.

Good Luck

TexasNative

It took me about 10 days 'til I slept really good. My sleep patterns were awful for years anyways from being lit all the time so it seemed normal...but when that first good nights sleep came along it was such a relief. It passes quickly, hang in there.

JosetteCollins

The insomnia only lasts a week or two, but it's totally worth it. What has worked for me is daily exercise, the herbal supplement Valerian Root (non-habit forming--you can get it in most drug stores), and the reminder that I feel better on 3 hours of sober sleep than I do on 9 hours of drunk sleep. No matter how tired you feel after only getting a few hours of sleep, isn't it still better than waking up hung-over?

LaFemme

BTW, I am in my fifth week and sleep better than I can ever remember sleeping. I also no longer have the violent nightmares that plagued me for years, and actually had a really happy dream last night:-)

scared1

Josette= Yes it true, I would rather not wake-up hung over or still drunk. Not worth it. THanks

least

Melatonin is a natural substance and can help in getting to sleep. Valerian is also good, as is scullcap and hops and chamomile. I often take herbal supplements and it helps me sleep without addiction problems or even dependence on them.

CJ1

Least's recommendation of herbal supplements is probably the best idea. I have personally taken an over the counter sleep aid in the past, with some decent results, but I'm concerned about recommending it. You do need to stop after several days so you don't become dependent on it. I'm curious to see what some of the more experienced people in the forum think of it.

Harry01854

I went to a doctor, told him I am an alcoholic and an addict and now that I stopped using I'm having a problem sleeping. He gave me a scrip and the medication helped me sleep and I di dnot find addictive at all.

That is what worked for me.

Harry

scared1

Thank you Harry, but I don't have insurance or money right now. I guess I will try the herbal supplements.
Thank you all for your responses.

CJ1

And Scared, there is always the over the counter sleep medication you can get at any drug store. It's very cheap, and may help more then you might think. If the sleeping is that bad, and its going to drive you to drink, I'm sure that's a much better choice, but by all means try the herbal supplements first if you wish.

firestorm090

Hi scared1,

I've went through this several times after drinking again. This last time, I've found something that is working for me better than all the other rememdies I've tried.

Being afraid to take pills myself, I've began forcing myself to exercise....alot. I think, as the booze begins to clear out of our systems, we feel so much better that our bodies just want to be energizer bunnines and go, go, go. Since I'm in fairly good shape, I exercise, hit the pool, take walks, walk to the grocery store (although I don't recommend buying a bunch of groceries like I did one night last week, by the time I got home those groceries felt like I was carrying a couple trucks, lol). I'm careful not to overdo it, and at night's end, I fall off to sleep most nights like a rock.

Harry01854

I'm sorry, I didn't know about not having the insurance. Wish I could help more. Maybe the herbal will help, I sure hope so.

Harry

soberbythesea

I agree with firestorm, exercise is key. If you are physically active during the day, you will sleep much better at night (aside from the other obvious benefits of physical activity.)

Dee74

Hi Scared1

Insomnia is very common and something I think everyone goes through.
I think the best thing for anyone is to see a professional if you're really worried.

Be careful of what you put in your body. I think it's often a good idea to check with your physician before starting to take OTC sleep aids or supplements.

Natural does not necessarily mean harmless. I posted these links elsewhere yesterday.

Adverse Effects
Cautions and Contraindications

and pls remember our medical advice rule, gang.

D

Ainslie

Reading a really boring book also helps.....

ButterflyDreams

I am in the same boat as you. I am up right now because last night sleep wasn't very good. I am starting day 7. A few of my days I slept pretty good but I have some bad dreams. I dream a lot of death or people I love dying. I don't know if this is typical but it's upsetting.

But I agree with the others that I would rather wake up not hung over then to drink myself to sleep. I am sure it will get better in time. I have read that it could take a lot of time for some people to adjust thier sleep pattern. You just have to hang in there. I am fornuate because I am not working so I don't worry as much about sleeping long. When I was working it did make a difference and I can understand how hard it is for you to rise early for work.

I have read (I read alot) that you should not take a hot bath right before bed because it heats up your body and your body has to be a certain temp to fall asleep. Take a warm bath about an hour before bed and also no strenous exersice right before bed. You might want to try Yoga though because that is very relaxing. You can find all kind of yoga poses online for you to try. Just make sure you are doing the ones for relaxation.

Tea is also good to drink. There are teas out there that promote sleep.

I hope you sleep well soon!