Chan

I'm quitting (again) tommorrow. I really want to do this but one thing is niggling at me already.....

When you quit a minute seems like an hour and when I quit I can't sleep so the day seems so much longer. I know it's such a silly thing to worry about but it is bothering me. I've made a list of all the reasons I want to quit and keep reading it to keep myself mentally strong but this worry about not sleeping is doing my head in!

lilac0721

Chan, the insomnia will go away! Every time I have sobered up (yes, I've fallen a lot), I have insomnia then after a few days or weeks am able to sleep better than ever. Hang in there.

Try a cup of chamomile tea, melatonin (sold in drugstores), and a good book. That is my nighttime sleep ritual. And if I wake up in the middle of the night? I don't fight it, but go to the couch and read until I am sleepy again.

Hope this helps! Believe me, the sleep we get when we knock ourselves out with booze is not quality!

least

There are non medical aids for sleep in our Insomnia forum. Not sleeping is the brain withdrawing from the depressant effect of alcohol and pouring out anxiety, but it does pass.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-insomnia.html

LaFemme

Hi and welcome! I used anxiety about sleeping as an excuse not to quit for a long time. And yes the first week will most likely be rough. I sleep so much better today then I did when I passed out from booze. Why not start tonight? The sooner you start the sooner you will get detox and start sleeping well:-)

Chan

Stupid thing is the benefits of quitting far outway a few weeks with lack of sleep. Think it's just my mind making excuses already. I'm the typical drinker - make all the excuses under the sun not to quit and blame everyone else for my drinking - not good!

Thanks for the advice. Good book and hot chocolate for me.

Fingers crossed I can do it this time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, thank u.

LaFemme

Good luck! Chances are it will only be a week or a few days. You can do it!

Chan

Thanks so much for support and advice. Feeling less panicky about the lack of sleep I know I will experience. Good book, hot drink and no doubt logging on here to moan in the early hours lol. Thanks

Toss

Chan,

I stopped last Saturday. I never have insomnia and the first couple of nights were rough, but I eventually slept pretty well. This is day 4 for me and work is stressing me out. My brain fog is lifting slowly and wanting to run back to the poison is getting stronger.

So, as they say, you are not alone. I am taking it a minute at a time as well, so I know the pangs you are and will feel.

Toss

phineas

Why tomorrow and not today?

Ghostly

Chan - I learned that fear of not sleeping is a very common reason for people to worry about quitting drinking. It was my fear. It was also a reason I kept drinking. With drinking, for the first time in my life I found a way to get to sleep, and stay asleep for hours. Of course, like said above, it was horrible sleep. Not to mention the amount it took to get asleep kept going up and up.

So...imo, try the things listed above for sleep. Give it some time. For most people that alone will work. I have had sleep problems my whole life, so I got prescribed a sleeping pill.

You can do this. It is up to you. Good luck and keep us posted.

Dee74

Hi Chan

The support this place gave me in those early days helped me tremendously - I know it will help you too

You can do this

Welcome aboard!
D

sobermax

Hey Chan,

welcome to SR!

As everyone says, it will pass quickly. No doubt I'll run into you on the forum at 5am at some point soon - sleeping not an option for me either at the moment but the sure knowledge that it is temporary makes it bearable.
Good luck and keep posting.

SM

Anna

I hope you check in tomorrow and let us know how you're doing.

eremc08

Sleep filled nights are something I NEED and just don't get all the time (if one of my kids woke up for whatever reason), so when i quit drinking it was really hard for me. I got even less sleep the first few nights. Around day 6 and 7 is when it got easier to fall asleep. Getting an adequate amount of exercise and some fresh air will definitely make it better.

I drink a sleepy time tea and just relax, after a long, long, long..... day of NOT drinking and some exercise. I'm not back to my normal work out routine but soon.. when I feel better.

Don't worry, it gets easier and you will always get support here too!
You're doing great!

tomdecel

Chan

Everyone is different, but the last thing I would drink at night is chocolate. I don't drink it myself but I do believe there is caffeine in chocolate plus who knows how much sugar.

In my case, I was sleeping soundly by my third night. Try going for a long walk instead. Beautiful (almost) full moon tonight.

artsoul

I can relate to all the "reasons" not to quit, or to put it off until next week or next month..... But, like sobermax said, it's temporary and it's due to our body trying to heal itself. So try to look at it as you might look at getting over a bad cold or the flu. Resting and relaxing (even meditating) and thinking positive thoughts helped me, although there were a few nights when I just had to endure the frustration.

Hang in there - you'll be so glad you did!

wpainterw

Chan: Not sleeping comes with the territory. It's part of the drill. With me it usually cleared up after two nights or maybe three. See a doctor and he or she may be able to help with this.After you get through that you will probably go into a very sound sleep and wake up feeling very rested. Something to look forward to. Get in touch with the doctor. That's the thing to do. Good luck.

W.

Kmber2010

Chan glad to see you have chosen to sobriety. That is great news!

What I can share with you is my first night was rough so I didn't sleep much and SR was invaluable to me. The next night and so forth it got a bit better. I had anxiety from withdrawing and years of alcohol abuse so I had to change up my routine. I went to bed earlier and I woke up earlier. I would eat lots of veggies/fruits and bring a book to bed that I would read for a bit. I found keeping active in my daytime hours to be quite helpful for my attitude and for letting out the energy I had.

I found checking in with my Dr. to be a good thing so they were on board with what I was doing.

It does pass and you can do this. We are here to support and there are lots of useful links and tips on how to handle the initial days.

Hang in there and so looking forward to the journey Chan!

sazza

The fear of not sleeping stopped me from quitting for a long time. When I was drinking I was known to polish off a bottle of wine and open the next to make sure I slept. Of course I was simply passing out.

I had a hard time sleeping at first, but things have improved.

When I realised I wasn't going to be sleeping for a while I stocked up on dvds, books which I watched before going to bed a couple of hours later than usual.

Your sleeping patterns will return to normal with time. Hang in there!

SSIL75

How is Day 1 going?