Go Back  SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information > New to Addiction and Recovery? > Newcomers to Recovery
Reload this Page >

Those of You Who Used to Pour Yourselves into Bed and Fall Right Asleep



Notices

Those of You Who Used to Pour Yourselves into Bed and Fall Right Asleep

Old 11-06-2011, 07:53 AM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 56
Those of You Who Used to Pour Yourselves into Bed and Fall Right Asleep

Is it normal when going to bed sober to have trouble getting a good night's sleep. Does the body eventually learn how to fall asleep on its own without help of the booze?
TimFoot is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 07:58 AM
  # 2 (permalink)  
bona fido dog-lover
 
least's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,671
Yes, normal indeed. I had trouble sleeping the first couple weeks after quitting drinking but eventually got used to being sober and started sleeping normally. I now sleep like a baby and wake up feeling good. It does take a while before your body/brain adjusts to being sober, so give it time. If your sleep problems persist too long, see your doctor. Besides, passing out from drinking is not normal or restful sleep, so it's really not 'sleeping' at all, more like just being unconcious.
least is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:03 AM
  # 3 (permalink)  
I'm here to learn!
 
eJoshua's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: I'm on it!
Posts: 2,038
Very normal! Insomnia is a constant battle for me still, but it gets much better after a few weeks, to be sure.
eJoshua is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:10 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
 
kcvalentine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Missouri
Posts: 133
It took me about a month or so to get past the muscle twitches and insomnia. It's so much better now! When I was drinking I rarely slept more than about five hours at a time, and of course it wasn't very restful...more like I passed out and my body tried to recover. Now I sleep for eight hours + easily. Best of luck to you! You're making a great choice!

xo,
kc
kcvalentine is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:11 AM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
 
Bikeguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 1,061
It took me several weeks to get a reasonable sleep schedule down. Have patience with yourself, it will come with time and it's great waking up each morning with no hangover.
Bikeguy is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:17 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
Member
 
TheTinMan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Roxboro, NC
Posts: 544
Tim, you and I are seperated by only a few years. If your drinking history is anything like mine, progressive over two decades, then it's going to take a bit for your body and mind to adjust to life without alcohol.

You are doing good, hang in there. What you are going through is normal and it will get better.
TheTinMan is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:19 AM
  # 7 (permalink)  
New to Real Life
 
SSIL75's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: I come in Peaces
Posts: 2,071
It didn't take long for my sleep to improve.
SSIL75 is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:30 AM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
debsam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Present Moment
Posts: 646
Yep, as the others said, totally normal.

I went to my doctor about this because I was obsessing about not being able to sleep. She helped me out with that - I sleep like a baby now - she also said being able to sleep is SO important. We're all different...find what works for you Tim.

So true that going to bed full of booze is not sleeping...and never will be.
debsam is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:52 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 53
Yeah it's normal. Your sleep cycle will even itself out after a period of being sober and you will end up getting much more restful, healthy sleep. I had lots of anxious nights for a little over a week after I decided to get sober but my sleep has evened itself out. I'm on my 3rd week.
goalofsobriety is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 08:59 AM
  # 10 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 181
I agree totally normal. what has been helping me in early recovery is a lot of exercise, so i go to bed tired in a good way. And not to let the occasional night of really bad/no sleep get to me or worry me. nothing is harder than TRYING to go to sleep, it's like my brain rebels against me when i try really hard, the harder i try the less sleep i get.
zxcirce is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 09:29 AM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Member
 
Mark75's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,947
Originally Posted by TimFoot View Post
Is it normal when going to bed sober to have trouble getting a good night's sleep. Does the body eventually learn how to fall asleep on its own without help of the booze?
Yes, it did for me... It took a few months though.
Mark75 is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 01:39 PM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Administrator
 
Dee74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,045
It's very common.

There are a few common sense tips here that may help?
Insomnia? 42 Simple Tips to Help You Get to Sleep - Insomnia treatment, cures

D
Dee74 is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 04:53 PM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Member
 
Zebra1275's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 14,836
One of the reasons I drank in the begining was to fall asleep.

Now that I'm older I never have trouble falling asleep. Staying awake past 10 p.m. now is another story.
Zebra1275 is offline  
Old 11-06-2011, 05:00 PM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Community Greeter
 
Hevyn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,416
I had alot of trouble, tim. I had a restless sleep when I drank, though. I'd fall asleep ok, but wake up on & off all night. Now, I always read until I fall asleep.
Hevyn is offline  
Old 11-07-2011, 01:10 PM
  # 15 (permalink)  
Member
 
StPeteGrad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Washington
Posts: 456
I was just like Zebra.

I noticed I'm much more sensitive to stimulants now. I went from drinking 2 pots of coffee to none in the last 9 months. Now, if I even have a cup in the evening (such as at a meeting on a night that I'm very tired) I will be up until 3 am. Last Friday I was up until 6am.

I'm sober 9 months (-1 week) now and it is still a challenge at times. I used prescriptions (from my doctor) for a while - and they worked byt I was developing a tolerance - and we all know what happens next!

So I've quit sleeping meds in lieu of natural sleep aids, herbal teas, and really good sleep hygeine - that is, keeping a schedule. This is not unlike what most normal people do.

I also notice my ability to sleep is directly proportional to the amount of physical activity during the day. I work in an office and have a long commute so that is one of my challenges. Even going to the grocery store or Target and the like can help. Park away from the store and walk the entire store -even if it's just to get milk.

In worst case, you'll likely find that you still feel better with very bad sleep than you did with little sleep while drinking.
Best of luck to you.
StPeteGrad is offline  
Old 11-09-2011, 08:35 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 56
Last night was night 5 and I've been falling asleep easier and easier each night! Horay! Now if only the fogginess would lift when i wake up.
TimFoot is offline  
Old 11-09-2011, 10:29 AM
  # 17 (permalink)  
bona fido dog-lover
 
least's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,671
if only the fogginess would lift when i wake up

It will. Take good care of yourself in the meantime. Good food, rest, water/juice, vitamins, exercise - you'll soon be sleeping like a baby and waking up feeling good.
least is offline  
Old 11-09-2011, 04:08 PM
  # 18 (permalink)  
Member
 
flamingredhair's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 343
Like you, one of the reasons I drank was to help me sleep. Unlike most of you, when I drank, I slept like the dead until morning. Only no matter how long I slept it just didn't seem like enough. I'm on day seven now and my sleep cycle is still straightening out. I don't have a lot of trouble falling asleep but I can't get to bed much before 1AM because my brain just isn't ready to shut down until then.
flamingredhair is offline  
Old 11-09-2011, 06:27 PM
  # 19 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 96
I had weird twitches for the first few weeks and would bite my tongue and wake myself up just as I was falling asleep, and/or grind my teeth. I got a mouthguard and that helped for the first month or so, I don't use it at all anymore.

I have different sleep patterns now, for sure, go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I had a friend who joked, why quit drinking, then when you wake up in the morning it's the best you'll feel all day. At first I thought, yeah, that sucks, but truth is, I wake up feeling pretty good every morning as opposed to chronically dehydrated, groggy, and slightly sick to my stomach.
ADaisyifyoudo is offline  
Old 11-09-2011, 06:45 PM
  # 20 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Chicago, Il
Posts: 52
Lots of trouble sleeping but it evens out. Then there is the crazy dreams as well. My dreams got so vivid but just like the sleep it evens out.
newdayfortoday is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:57 PM.