FreeOwl

Well... I've been having sleep challenges for a few years now, but I'll tell ya what; sober seems to magnify the issue big time.

By 8 or 9pm I feel like it's midnight and I'm totally exhausted but then by 3 or 4am I'm awake. Sometimes with a headache, sometimes wierd dreams, sometimes just mind-racing, sometimes all three.

Woke up at 3am today with a headache and apart from maybe a few little doze-offs I was awake until I finally said to heck with it and got up for the day at 5.

How long does this last? When the heck does sobriety bring us restfulness at night? Back in 2006 I went several months without drinking because my wife was pregnant and not drinking and we'd moved to another country and I was simply focused on being a new dad soon, exercise and starting a new life there.... during those months I slept the best I'd slept in years. This time around it's a lot different.

Tang

I'm in early sobriety and have identical issues as you. I'm exhausted by 8-9 and wake up at 3'like clockwork. I can't offer up as to when it will stop, but just sharing similar experience.

Dee74

It took a couple of weeks for me.

Here are some good common sense ideas:
10 tips to beat insomnia - Live Well - NHS Choices

D

Mentium

Me too in the past. I think the thing is not to fight it and certainly not to associate booze with a good night's sleep! In the end I listened to on demand radio and/or music on my Ipad laying in the dark. I even tried some relaxation music (lots available on-line) and learnt slowly how to sleep properly again. Now i read for 30 mins and drop off quite easily most nights. Took me about three weeks I guess - maybe a bit longer.

jazzfish

For the first couple of weeks I am really tired early on. I have even gone to sleep as early as 8 pm. After a couple of weeks it tends to shift back to normal hours for me. However, I am still a naturally early riser. I used to fight it, but now I just get up and enjoy the quiet of the early morning. It is much easier to write in my journal and meditate before the kids are awake.

PurpleKnight

The first few weeks it was a fight to not just crash into bed the moment I arrived in from work, exhausted was an understatement, fought with myself to stay awake to at least 10pm, just kept myself busy, and then does anyone else know that "too tired to sleep" feeling, lying wide awake desperatly knowing I needed some sleep before another full days work.

Gradually each night I'd drift off earlier and earlier, and work wasn't such a nightmare, but for the first week I felt constantly jetlagged!! . . . It passes though!!

FreeOwl

thanks all.... so far I'm doing ok with it, I'm just accepting it and getting up and starting my day when I find it's clear I'm not going to get back to sleep.

the early hours are a nice, quiet time to read SR, catch up on things, read... and go to the early-bird AA meeting here in town, which is my favorite one.

That said, I do look forward to the day I'm able to go to sleep at say 10 and get a solid night's rest through to 6am.

FreeOwl

went to bed about 11pm. Woke at 4am. Despite a hard 2.5 hour work out and being completely exhausted at bedtime.

WHOOO-HOO!!!!

lol.

Well at least I'm sober, clear-headed, and alive.

Kris47

The last time I quit drinking, ( 3 years ago) I never slept for a solid 3 1/2 months.

I'm making no excuses here, but that is what finally drove me to start drinking again.

Honest, anyway.

I'm trying again by tapering off. It's a start.

Jeff1962

I'm on day 7 and found I couldn't sleep either and, when I did, I tossed a lot. I too had problems over the years but it seems much more heightened last week.

I took a sleeping pill night before last and got a solid 7 hours. The next night, took another and got decent sleep. Last night, I went without and got around 5 hours of good sleep. I don't want to become dependent on sleeping pills but occasionally will take one if I have a few bad nights in-a-row. This obviously isn't a long-term solution.

I find I bring on a lot of insomnia myself by not getting enough exercise and having coffee too late in the day. Turning off all the electronic devices instead of taking them to bed often helps me.

SoberChristmas

I have been taking B12 daily for energy and then maybe try Melatonin at night? At least it is natural and you are not using drugs for sleep.

DoubleDragons

I took Dramamine the first couple of weeks of sobriety. Since then, I sleep soundly and wonderfully and naturally.

FreeOwl

I've used melatonin and also valerian root - which seem to help but also they seem to be less effective over time. So, this time I'm trying to manage it without any drug or supplement and just letting my body recalibrate.

Probably, I need to cut out coffee... I know I drink too much of it and have read a lot about it and given it's half life and how much / how long I've used coffee (very strong coffee) I suspect my body is in a permanent state of overstimulation. I'm really struggling to quit though. HA! Sounds familiar....

Is there a Coffeeholics Anonymous?

I spoke with an old timer this morning and he said that he was plagued with sleeplessness for years after he got sober. Finally took a prescription - I forget the name - to a mild antidepressant that has a side effect of helping regulate sleep. He's been on that 24 years. But, I really want to roll with this and see if I can allow my body to naturally recalibrate.

Thanks for the comments and tips all.

Jeff1962

The older I get, the more I can't drink coffee after late-afternoon or it seems to keep me up. The wife mixed decaf in with regular caf and it did seem to help me when I wanted a cup later in the day.

Good luck.

Inca

Took me about a month to get a consistent sleep schedule. I found that it helped to try and get the same number of hours a night, avoid caffeine late in the day, and drink calming tea or take melatonin. It'll even out soon.