Larkspur

I had shocking insomnia for the first 10-14 days, sometimes getting hardly more than an hour or two's sleep a night. Coming up for 25 days now and most nights I drop off right away and sleep like a baby. Just give it time.

I found chamomile tea and warm baths helped a bit, and listening to binaural beats for sleep on my iPod at least helped me feel relaxed.

JosetteCollins

Hi, I'm new to this board.

I've always used alcohol at nite in order to get a "good nite's sleep" so I wouldn't be too tired when having to work day shifts at work. It's taken a LONG TIME, but I've finally realized that I feel much, much better only sleeping 2-3 hours sober than I feel sleeping 9 hours having drunk 5-7 glasses of wine the night before. The belief that I need to drink a lot of wine at nite in order to sleep in order to function at work was WRONG. I feel much better being abstinent and having insomnia sometimes than drinking.

Valerian root really helps me to sleep, and even if I can't fall asleep right away, it helps me to relax.

Chavo

This isn't any sort of medical advice just what I use/ My therapist said it's okay for me to take over-the-counter sleeping pills. I've been taking them for a few weeks now and they keep me clean. My most dangerous using time is at night so I sure need to be knocked out for it. If i'm out of sleeping pills I take Dramamine cause it knocks me out just as well

Insomnia comes with the territory.

Good luck
Chavo

loveon2legs

Oh I can relate!!! 6 months sober for me, and I could probably count on my hands the number of really good night sleeps I have had!! by the time morning comes around and its time to get up..that's when I could sleep!! I take a prescription aid but even when I take that I'm up wondering around!! I exercise everyday too..and take warm baths!! I'm really hoping this will pass eventually!! so let's all go and have a good nights sleep!!

wpainterw

Yes, I recall insomnia as part of the detox program. With me it usually lasted about three nights and then got better very quickly. As for anyone trying to use alcohol for insomnia, my experience with that was that it may have worked but for only two hours or three at the most. Then I would wake up at 2 or 3 a.m. and need more alcohol, a guaranteed way of progressing down the path of alcoholism. I always get very anxious when someone says they use alcohol for insomnia.
As for how to detox, the best way I think is to see a first rate physician. He or she can tell you how, whether to do it outpatient or inpatient, and how to do it as safely and as comfortably as possible. They say that alcohol detox tends to be very risky and tricky. Requires medical supervision big time! Good luck! I have more comment about detox on my home page. You can access this by clicking on my name in the left margin accompanying this reply.

Wpainterw