wpainterw

One of the persistent concerns of alcoholics, including yours truly, is a fear of insomnia. Perhaps a major reason for this is the frequency of insomnia in the period following the cessation of alcohol consumption, the "detox" period. But, at least for me, it continued long after that, and even continues today, after 26 years of sobriety. I wonder whether, instead of fretting about lack of sleep, it is better to reset the brain in a "default" mode (since in many respects the brain is a computer) of not "wanting" or "expecting" sleep. Often Mother Nature, fickle in her ways, ends up giving you what you don't want and not giving you what you want or think you want. In other words, assume that you will not sleep, but that you have other things to do: read, watch television, whatever....Often, if I read for awhile and don't fret about sleep, I find myself growing sleepy, particularly if the reading is boring. Judge Friendly, of the U.S. 2d Circuit Court of Appeals, once remarked that he kept a copy of the Harvard Law Review on his bedside table, and that it was far more effective than any sleeping pill. Why not tell Mother Nature that you aren't interested in sleep at the moment. Then she may well ambush you with sleep. Reset your computer brain in a "who cares about sleep" default mode ("I can't be bothered! I have more important things to do than sleep!") and sleep may come. That's because we often get the stuff we don't want in life and if we really want something, we may well not get it.

W.

PurpleKnight

Nice post, I definitely agree worrying about sleep generally leads to no sleep!!

I find when I distract myself from thinking about it, I can drift off!!

wpainterw

Thanks Purpleknight. I've been thinking of an old maxim that "You can't fool Mother Nature". Actually recovery from alcohol involves a battle with Mother Nature in the sense that, due to alcohol consumption over the years, the body physiology and chemistry changes to "adapt" to the new environment and when the alcohol is removed the body, aided by the "lizard brain", desperately wants it back again. So Mother Nature has all sorts of ways to trick the recovering person to have another drink. That, and the fact that you're fighting the "lizard brain", an aspect of yourself, makes it additionally hard. So it's a battle with worthy or unworthy adversaries. In discussing insomnia I've only touched on the tip of the iceberg.

W.

aasharon90

I think I heard that the older we get
we don't need much sleep. And you're
right about not fretting it. You'll sleep
when ur ready. Aslo, watch for those
things like exercise before sleep time.
Caffeine, anything that that would rev
up our metabolism.

I think I also read somewhere that the
bright light on the computer can also
keep us awake.

Any thing that can relax us, like u mentioned
reading, low lights or dimmed lights, warm
bath and nothing crunchy, no nuts...
just a few things to help promote healthy
sleep habits.

grubby

A little over 6 months sober here.

Some things i find helped me.......

- make sure you are sufficiently well-fed
- caffeine stays in the mornings...... no afternoon coffee/caffeine
- "trying" to go to sleep seems to trigger a "fight back" reaction from the brain, i've found anyways......... when i fall asleep "naturally" there is no fuss, but when i "try" to go to sleep my brain just starts kicking and screaming
- exercise helps

My sleep pattern has (very slowly) started to come back over the last few months.

MythOfSisyphus

One thing I have noticed is that now that I'm sober I'm not so scared of not getting sleep. I used to need some actual sleep to sober up enough to get up and start the day. And I usually felt like I was gonna die for at least a couple hours after I get up. Now if for some reason I don't get a good night's sleep it doesn't destroy me like it used to. It's maybe a little harder to get going but once I do so I'm fine.

oldsoul1122

When I have to get up at a certain time of the morning I think about that and the thought causes me to have anxious feelings. So I fool my brain by thinking things like..oh it'll be so nice sleeping in sleeping like a baby...I'm going to sleep all morning. You get the idea. Those are relaxing thoughts and your body will respond likewise.

MelindaFlowers

Great point MythOfSisyphus,

I've found that I feel a bazillion times better with lack of sleep than I ever did hungover which was every single day. So therefore, that old saying is true: my worst day sober is better than my best day drunk.

My insomnia was horrible for the first month. I saw the sun come up many mornings (and not in the nice way. In the nightmare way). I would often fall asleep around six and fight to get up around 10:30. Even with those 4.5 hours of sleep I was a zillion times better than hungover.

I don't think any illness, lack of sleep, etc. feels as bad as a hangover!

wpainterw

P.S. Actually, I have mixed emotions about sleep. The good part, if I can call it good, is that in some kinds of sleep I think the brain releases some rather powerful endorphins (like serotonin?) anyway substances that when I wake up still linger on and I want more of that and I want to go back to sleep. Does that happen to you? Sort of get a warm buzz on when you sleep. Oddly, not a trigger to drink but a most pleasurable, contented feeling. The other part of my sleep which is not so good is lots of anxiety dreams. Like wandering through strange, menacing cities with threatening old buildings, a feeling of doom, hopelessness. Or that I have been scheduled to give a class or speech, am late for the appointment, have lost my notes, can't find where the class is, and anticipating, if I get there, facing an enormous audience of puzzled, disbelieving and ultimately hostile eyes, laughing at my predicament. The clock is ticking. And thankfully I wake up. As Hamlet said of death, "To sleep... perchance to dream!"

W.

herradura

Wpainerw,

I am new at this alcohol quitting, but an absolute pro about sleep. Did not sleep more than 2 hours a night for 11 years. I have been through every gyration on the planet and a few in outer space to understand it. Have tried all drugs to sleep, and they all work,,, for a while, then I was left with taking more and different combinations. I tried to trick my brain into sleep, act like I did not want it or need it etc. I used to get frantic and off the wall nuts sometimes because of no sleep. I used to get advice from people who did not suffer from it and I thought I would die if I heard one more person tell me chamomile tea and a hot bath!! Or make sure the room is dark!! I joked I would gladly smoke 5 lbs of wet asparagus if that would make me sleep.
What worked for me was to lessen stress and then the anxiety also came down. I sleep incredibly now, but while I was working a lot I could not sleep. I guess it is an issue with compartmentalizing the stress and anxiety, something I clearly could not do. Personally I think stress and anxiety is the cause in some people. I am also one of the people who does not sleep when I drink too much. I think this revs up the anxiety and prevents sleep.
A totally non scientific opinion from a non doctor, but a true veteran of insomnia. Good luck to you.

Boudicca

You know I think we really don't need as much sleep as we grow older This said, I find that having a light snack an hour or so before bed really helps me sleep better. Not anything with sugar, mind you, but maybe a small glass of milk and toast or a granola bar. Even cereal if there is nothing else.

I also find that exercise helps....not necessarily with falling asleep, but the quality of sleep is better.

Interesting topic.

MythOfSisyphus

Just read an interesting article on the subject, W. The Cliff Notes version is that research shows that cells in the brain that regulate sleep start to 'die off' as you get older. Kind of depressing but at least it's good to know!

jaynie04

I read the same article….now I am freaked out more. I was shocked at how good my sleep was in the first year. Where the heck did this insomnia come from. 2:52 am here, I got 2 hours last night and about 4 the night before.

I do believe that my sleeping issues contributed greatly to my descent into alcoholism. I could never shut it down..so drugs and drink became tools to cope. And then later those tools began to hammer me.

I had the exact same thought tonight…about just letting go of worrying about sleep….

MythOfSisyphus

I think one of the things I'm going to investigate over the next year or so is meditation. I'd like to learn about it; how it works, how to do it, etc. Seems like an extension of learning to be mindful and in the moment. Perhaps it would help with sleep, too.