maisy

Well I am on day 6 and surprisingly only have 2 symptoms that are bothersome. My anxiety is definitely heightened and I cannot go to sleep at night! I have been staying up until 1 or 2 am which is late for me. Plus very tired in the morning and not wanting to get up. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Vanilla28

i have the same problem..luckaly i have this week off because of the holidays, im in bed atleast the first half of the day.

all my anxiety comes at night which doesnt let me fall asleep easily. ugh. the worst.
have you tried listening to meditation or hypnosis tapes? also, i bough one of those white noise makers, i find it helps cut into my mind thoughts if i concentrate on that instead of whatever thoughts might be running through my head.

also, has your dr perscribed you anything for your anxiety that you might be able to take?

Maryjan

I use Tylenol PM without the Tylenol. It's called Simply sleep. (it's Benadryl.). I am not sure if this is ok for everyone but 25ml works for me like a charm. My husband says it makes him groggy, but not me.

Maryjan

Sorry, meant to say mg. (I take 50mg some nights, too.). My doctor said this is fine.

maisy

Vanilla28, I take .25mg of xanax but it really doesnt help . But I have been weaning off of it for a long time so I don't want to increase it. I have been watching a lot of movies.lol

maisy

I get weird with benadryl plus it only works for a few hours.

Dee74

Here are some common sense tips Maisy
Insomnia? 42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures

Insomnia is common for most of us in the early days but if you're worried or it's impacting your life too adversely, please see a doctor.

D

pennywistle

I am right there with you Maisy. I found that taking B-vitamins reduce my anxiety during the day (though should be taken during the day, and not near bedtime as they give you energy) and vitamin D helps a ton with anxiety and overall mood also, especially in winter. I take a multivitamin plus a separate vitamin D just before going to sleep, and a B-vitamin during the day when I'm feeling down cranky and anxious or know beforehand if it's going to hit. Exercise helps too even if it's just a half hour walk around the neighborhood, it really makes a difference. Good luck.

Orkney

Have been a sufferer of severe anxiety for 2 years, which meant 2 years of no good sleep. Blackouts probably dont count but that was the only way a long sleep would happen.
Terrible dreams and would wake up having full blown panic attacks.

The sleep problems in quitting was a big worry as could not see it getting any worse.

Day 17 now and consider myself very lucky. Not only sleeping incredibly well after the first week but the anxiety has dropped off considerably.
Absolutely sure the alcohol was invreasing it and that in turn was causing the sleep problems.

Guess it's the body & mind healing after decades of abuse.

Someone reccomended i take milk thistle to help the liver detox & valerian complex to help with sleeping. Might be coincidence but may have something to do with the better sleep now experiencing.

Hang in there, it does and will get easier :-)

Fandy

sleep does get eaiser in sobriety for me..along with some goodexercise to help make you physically tired.

i am up at 4AM from a stuffed nose and a few nightmares that will pass.

i think there is a vast difference in sleep quality from being sober vs. passing out.

TigerLili

Most people have insomnia when they quit drinking. Try and keep to a routine of going to bed and getting up at the same time, and have a quiet night time routine of winding down. Cut back on caffeine and sugar too as they can keep you wound up and stop you sleeping. Try and not get too anxious about not sleeping because that makes it worse. If it goes on for more than a week or so, go see your doctor and let them know you are giving up drinking and having trouble sleeping.

Veritas1

Warm teas with honey may help. They have a sleepytime with valerian, or just regular sleepytime. Melatonin is a natural supplement to help with sleep onset.

Reading in bed may be helpful. Read until you get tired!

They say creating night time routines help children to fall asleep. Perhaps creating a nightime routine, getting a new pair of pjs, making bed as comfortable of a place as possible, may help. Spoil yourself.

I say this as I am up at 2am! Ha Ha! I am a night owl too. My sponsor says, lack of sleep never hurt anyone, so, it will eventually work itself out as you stay sober...

LaFemme

It took me a week or two when I quit to start sleeping well again. The first 6 days were brutal. Now I am good.

Warm milk isn't just an old wives tale...it works...there is some scientific reason for it but I can't explain it

maisy

Thank you for all of your replies. I actually slept pretty good last night and have felt good most of the day. Hopefully it will continue.