mblack42

hi all,

i am on day 22 of sobriety. this is the longest i've ever made it before, and i'm feeling really good about where i am. but i have a huge problem with sleep! i'm hoping someone here has been through it, or has some tips, that kind of thing.

i usually get in bed around 12AM with the goal of waking up at 8:30 or 9AM. but i don't actually fall asleep until 4 or 5. i just kind of lay there. sometimes i get up and watch some TV or read for a bit, sometimes i just lay there the whole time. when i finally do fall asleep, i am extremely unwilling to get up. i have a normal alarm clock that i place out of reach so i have to get up to turn it off, and i set dozens of alarms on my iphone. today for example i was supposed to get up at 10AM, but i ended up turning off the out of reach alarm (i don't remember doing so), and mashing the buttons on my phone to shut it up until about 1PM.

i work remotely, and it hasn't really become much of a problem with work. truth be told, from their perspective it probably seems like nothing changed (i.e. before i would be so hungover i wouldn't come online until late morning anyway).

i took calms forte for a few days, but that made it even harder to get out of bed.

i read in a few places that insomnia can be common in the first 2-6 months of recovery. does anyone have any tips for getting through this part?

thanks!



martin

MrJameEsquire

Just try to persevere for a while. I work remote and had the same problem.

I found that by going to bed and not taking a device connected to the internet a help. I was forever googling the first thing on my mind which was keeping me awake.

I also made sure I got up when the alarm went off and eventually got back to a new sleep cycle.

DIYman

Congratulations on Day 22! Great going.

Falling asleep eventually at 4 or 5am and then getting up around 1pm is quite close to 8 hours sleep. Could it be that your body clock has shifted?

The body clock is set by the time you get up, not the time you go to bed, so what might work is to go to bed at 3am (or whenever you feel like you might sleep) and set that alarm clock for midday. Then each morning set it an hour earlier, going to bed the following evening an hour earlier and shift that body clock forward bit by bit.

liv1ce

I have been clean for over 10 months now but I had insomnia for 3 months after initial withdrawal. Actually I had it from day 2 when the last of my DOC wore off. I find the best thing to be to not fight it and try not to get mad or upset. Once you get angry you are done and will not sleep at all. I realize that this is easy to say but if you plan something that you actually enjoy for the sleepless times it helps a lot and keeps the anger away. There are TV programs that only I enjoy and I routinely record them so that I just get up and enjoying solitude simply watch them. I have a good book that I enjoy and will read. I often would get on SR and find quite a bit to do in either writing about my frustrations or trying to write to someone who is asking for help.

Hot showers can help. I never found any of the sleep supplements helped me in the slightest but then I didn't really think they would so may have influenced my response. Sleeping pills were/are just another pill to take to try to influence my behavior and I was trying to stay clean of any such thing. I had tried them before and found that if they worked it was only for a while and then I had to take more. Sounded and felt like what I did with EVERY other drug in my life.

My experience and reading here and elsewhere has shown insomnia to be one of the most predictable symptoms of withdrawal. If anyone was going to get it in spades it was going to be me as I tend to be an insomniac anyway. 3 months was a bit extreme thoiugh but I got userd to it and developed an attitutde toward it that got me through. Any symptom that I expereienced was yet another indicator that I was getting clean. Besides, I had earned every bit of withdrawal that I expereinced.

Patsy22

I am not a recovering A but a recently bereaved partner of one. I find I have the same problem so I think it is the body's reaction to a change of circumstances. Although I used to drink more because the AH was around and I am drinking hardly anything now I think that has an effect too as the drink would make me sleep. I have nightmares and find myself awake until the small hours. The worst thing you can do I think is like me - I am in England so it is nearly midnight now - stay up late as then you kind of get a second wind and won't sleep till late. I have recently started eating early, having hot baths before bedtime and no caffeine after lunchtime. But still no good, tonight I had two baths and I know I will be awake until dawn then groggy even though I know I have appointments by 9am. I think it is a case of the body getting used to a new schedule and others around you will sympathise because they know you are getting well again. Good luck. Hope this helps.

iguy

congratulations..

kizzy40

I did exactly this too, it will settle down don't worry

elihoping

Hi Martin,

Congrats on 22 days! I've nothing more insightful to add. It seems to be different things for different people. I think it took 2 months for me to be able to fall asleep quickly and it goes sometimes. Tonight I can't sleep at all. It probably doesn't help that I try to cure my insomnia with caffeine!

quitforme79

My experience was this:
In the first 30 days I had a really hard time sleeping. I tried melatonin but didn't help much. I eventually just embraced it and would accept I was up and watch movies or read posts on here. The 2nd month all my body wanted to do was sleep! I would come home from work and sleep for a few hours then go to bed a couple of hours later. About 2.5 months in I finally leveled out and now I sleep through the night which I have never done. It's awesome. So my advice to you which is what worked for me is listen to your body and if you're up try to keep busy. If you want to nap during the day, take a nap. You will settle in to a normal sleeping pattern and you could always speak with your dr if you have concerns

GODISHEALER

I believe you! Im on day 12. I work 7 days, make my own hours but always shoot for 9 am. I dont have a solid way to get up besides my alarm and a shower but getting to sleep is much easier for me now! All i do now is make sure my tummy is full say my prayers andPOOF im sleep like a baby. Sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night but as long as im not hungry i can fall back asleep. So if eating(and i dont want to accrue any bad habits for those who cant handle that) doesnt help always ask THE LORD n pray on it ! God Bless

oakwood

I understand sleep problems are common, and I certainly had my share. It's exhausting, isn't it? I can only say, if you stay the course eventually things will balance out and you'll be able to determine how to manage it. It may take some time but be patient. There will come a night when you sleep right through...

BGS9595

100% agreed, the insomnia is terrible. Hang in there!

YouRmySunshine

Congrats on 22 days. I actually am on lose dose remron for sleep, not sure if it helps cuz I still have a very hard time sleeping. But the alcoholic in me ALWAYS wants to be in control!
No serious, I know I cant control my drinking so I guess I find myself trying to control little things, like ignoring when my body says its tired, or needs exercise, or decent food.
Hopefully I can figure out how to start letting more things go & worry less.

Hope it gets better for us, I hear it does (im only 36 days days sober)
~Peace
Jules