Sleep
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 1,327
Sleep
Hi all. I'm on Day 8 (a week sober!) but still struggle getting to sleep. It took me 3-4 hours last night. So many racing thoughts, often including my AV telling me how much easier it was with a bit of wine inside me... Does it settle down/any tips?
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Arlington, Texas
Posts: 64
It took me a full 10 days to get anything like real sleep when I got sober. I thought I was going mad, I was miserable, and I could barely function. And it was one of my main rationalizations for continuing to drink - I could sleep if I was drunk. But I could also continue to dismantle my life and any hope for my future that way.
But after that 10 days? Sleep, real sleep, like I hadn't known for decades. I woke up feeling like an entirely new person. I take an over-the-counter sleep aid, but a lot of sober people I know aren't entirely comfortable with that. Try earplugs, and during those awful first however long nights when sleep is elusive, tell yourself it will not last forever, you will sleep, and it will very much be worth it.
But after that 10 days? Sleep, real sleep, like I hadn't known for decades. I woke up feeling like an entirely new person. I take an over-the-counter sleep aid, but a lot of sober people I know aren't entirely comfortable with that. Try earplugs, and during those awful first however long nights when sleep is elusive, tell yourself it will not last forever, you will sleep, and it will very much be worth it.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,229
When I was intervened on and the authorities
came to pick me up, escorted to the back seat
of a handless unit with a screen separating me
from them, then led to a rehab hospital for mental
evaluation, It didn't dawn on me that I was not
gonna have alcohol that night nor for the rest
of my life.
My safety net of alcohol addiction was ripped
from below me and was left with all my inner
thoughts and my past actions.
For the next 28 days I lived in a controlled
environment with many other patients dealing
with their own substance abuse issues. Each
morning after waking up we all had to get
weighed in and those that were prescribed
meds from their doctor when evaluated upon
arrival took them. Me, I had no meds prescribed
and thus felt pretty awesome about that.
My drug of choice was always alcohol which
seemed simple to get and drink, but never dreamt
that I was actually abusing it. Little did I know
at that time in my life some 28 yrs ago.
During my stay in rehab I had a full day
of activities to keep me busy so when night
came for bed, lights out and there was no
roaming around looking for alcohol to calm
me down if needed.
Those 28 days living in a controlled environment
allowed them to teach me healthy ways to use up
time wisely and effectively instead of killing myself
with liquid poison running rapid thru body affecting
all my vital organs.
All I can say is, rehab for me at that time in
my life saved my life and gave me a good chance
to correcting or changing bad, unhealthy habits,
into healthy ones so that now I can sleep without
my addiction to alcohol.
Yes, my mind can run crazy at night, but learning
from others here in SR new healthy techniques to
quiet those past thoughts has been very helpful.
Continue to learn as you move further away
from your addiction and become a healthy
sober person you want to be moving forward.
came to pick me up, escorted to the back seat
of a handless unit with a screen separating me
from them, then led to a rehab hospital for mental
evaluation, It didn't dawn on me that I was not
gonna have alcohol that night nor for the rest
of my life.
My safety net of alcohol addiction was ripped
from below me and was left with all my inner
thoughts and my past actions.
For the next 28 days I lived in a controlled
environment with many other patients dealing
with their own substance abuse issues. Each
morning after waking up we all had to get
weighed in and those that were prescribed
meds from their doctor when evaluated upon
arrival took them. Me, I had no meds prescribed
and thus felt pretty awesome about that.
My drug of choice was always alcohol which
seemed simple to get and drink, but never dreamt
that I was actually abusing it. Little did I know
at that time in my life some 28 yrs ago.
During my stay in rehab I had a full day
of activities to keep me busy so when night
came for bed, lights out and there was no
roaming around looking for alcohol to calm
me down if needed.
Those 28 days living in a controlled environment
allowed them to teach me healthy ways to use up
time wisely and effectively instead of killing myself
with liquid poison running rapid thru body affecting
all my vital organs.
All I can say is, rehab for me at that time in
my life saved my life and gave me a good chance
to correcting or changing bad, unhealthy habits,
into healthy ones so that now I can sleep without
my addiction to alcohol.
Yes, my mind can run crazy at night, but learning
from others here in SR new healthy techniques to
quiet those past thoughts has been very helpful.
Continue to learn as you move further away
from your addiction and become a healthy
sober person you want to be moving forward.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 349
Wine helped me get to sleep, but being jarred awake at 2am with a pounding heart and racing mind was the price to pay. Then to lay awake until the alarm so I could drag myself through another day. Awful. And I was doing it all to myself.
It took a bit, but sleep in sobriety is delicious . I agree with tot, and feel a program of exercise really helped get me to a point where I was physically tired at the end of the day. It didn’t take much...walking, some yoga. I started slow but was consistent and built up my endurance over time.
I recently started using a free sleep tracker app. I wish I’d started earlier as it would be interesting to compare then and now. Reading up on healthy sleep habits has helped me see the importance and value in prioritizing it, and has helped me improve an already good thing.
Keep going...if your experience is anything like mine, it gets soooo much better.
-bora
It took a bit, but sleep in sobriety is delicious . I agree with tot, and feel a program of exercise really helped get me to a point where I was physically tired at the end of the day. It didn’t take much...walking, some yoga. I started slow but was consistent and built up my endurance over time.
I recently started using a free sleep tracker app. I wish I’d started earlier as it would be interesting to compare then and now. Reading up on healthy sleep habits has helped me see the importance and value in prioritizing it, and has helped me improve an already good thing.
Keep going...if your experience is anything like mine, it gets soooo much better.
-bora
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 1,327
Thanks all. I do plenty of exercise but my diet could definitely use some improvement. As I'm a shift worker I could often get away with waking up in the middle of night and eventually getting back to sleep whenever (I found it easier once I'd already had some sleep and didn't have to get up early morning). I guess it will take some time dealing with sober me when I hit the pillow. It just feels weird right now.
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