DaniLeigh

Hello. Thank you for giving me a place to express my concerns and ask questions. I just joined this forum. I have been drinking 1/2 to 1 fifth of liquor per day for 5 years, typically only at night. I have tried to quit before, but the main thing is I just don't sleep otherwise. I lay there all night looking at the clock. After 2-3 days of no sleep, I say "screw it" and buy a bottle. And then I'm back to square 1.

If you've experienced this, can you tell me how you got through it? How long does this last? A week? Two weeks? Forever? Right now, it feels like it will be forever. I have tried melatonin and OTC sleep aids to no avail. If anyone can give me an idea of a time period...how long will the sleeplessness last...that would be helpful. Just to know, "This will last for XX amount of time, but then it will get better"...

Thank you.

Dee74

Hi and welcome DaniLeigh

I think most of us have trouble sleeping - I know I did.

It varies tho - some people fall back into a natural sleep rhythm right away...for others it takes a little longer.

It took me maybe a couple of weeks?

If it's concerning you, though, why not see a Dr?

D

Cwbugycody

I went to detox for prescription pain pills and crown royal. I took at least 2 weeks before I got any meaningful sleep. How much of that was from the pills and how much was from the crown I don't know. I believe the only thing that kept me from using was detox and then a inpatient treatment facility. I did 6 days of detox and 28 days of treatment. I now have got 65 days and am looking forward to the future for the first time. It does get easier so hang in there. One day at a time. If you can get through one day then you can get through one more thenext day and on and on . Welcome and I hope the best for you.

dedubya

Let me just add something. sleep is your least concern. Get addicted, you cant live.
Hang in there
dub

Delilah1

It took me a few weeks as well, I still have some nights that I have difficulty falling asleep, but not as many. I am with Dee about talking to the doctor.

Grimes

hello welcome dani.

i had a hard time sleeping and would always drink to fall asleep. since quitting, im having a hard time staying awake. maybe just cause im not sleeping in late, not sure. around christmas everyone was watching movies or whatever, i was asleep on the couch at 9 at night.

after the initial not sleeping, the first two weeks i was constantly exhausted.

freshstart57

I drank to fall asleep too, but it turned out to be more like passing out. And the waking up was more like coming to. I also would wake up at 3 or so, full of anxiety and worries.

It took 10 days or so, and the first few nights were shakey and sweaty, but after that initial time passed, I slept the sleep of the righteous, I call it. And I wake up feeling good too. I recommend it.

nogard

Welcome to SR DaniLeigh

DaniLeigh

Thank you all for the quick replies. I agree with Freshstart57 that it is more like passing out and then coming to. It sounds like most folks are saying this process will be a week or two. I want to experience that "sleep of the righteous." I am setting a quit date of 1/1/13. If I need some support during that time, where should I post? Right here or a different thread?

Again, thank you. I never knew there were so many supportive and understanding people out there. I really appreciate it.

FeelingGreat

DaniLeigh, the mornings are one of the best things about being sober. I hope you can get through the insomnia phase. I think the worst thing is to let the insomnia become a source of stress by itself. Accept it will happen, and maybe get up, have a shower, clean the kitchen floor, whatever it takes not to be lying there stressed out.

least

Welcome to SR! :ghug3 It took me a couple weeks before my sleep was back to normal. But now I sleep very well and wake up feeling good.

Lyoness

Welcome to SR and please keep reading and posting here whenever you want/need to. This is a terrific place for support, info and wisdom.

I agree with Dee that seeing a doctor, and being very honest about everything with her/him would be a great first step. You can get info about how to detox safely and some ideas for sleep.

Change4good

Welcome, and I agree with what everyone has said about the sleep issues. But please know, once you quit, sleep will return. It might take some time, but patience will serve you well.

And what I love hearing from others. . .once you quit and go through the initial discomfort, you never have to go through it again. And there is just so much good stuff "on other side."

You have set a date, but why not start a little early? Like today?

Anna

Dani, Welcome!

You can continue to post on this thread or start a new thread in this forum (Newcomers) if you like.

I think that you will sleep better in recovery as time goes by. It isn't easy to get through those long nights, but hopefully they won't last too long.

Windancer

Unfortuantely everyone is different. For me I found a lot more success when I began excercising, eating REALLY well, and took some nutritional supplements my MD recommended to helps repair the damage I did to my body by drinking my face off.
Id does get easier....and I know it is hard to accept nights of sleeplessness and anxiety but acceptance is part of the process.

Welcome

Bernie2823

Hello there. This is my first post and had my first sober day yesterday for a few years. I woke quite a few times during the night, but had prepared myself for the insomnia. I spent the last few days buying books by my favourite authors and accepted that I would spend some time reading these through the night! I am halfway through the first one already!! I think possibly that by accepting that you may not sleep and going with it may take the pressure off a bit? This is just an idea as I have no real experience, but just enough books to last me for the next 6 nights....including New Years Eve!

Good luck x

Zebra1275

A lot of us used alcohol to fall asleep easy. When you do it on a daily basis your body comes to expect that little "night cap," especially if you have been doing it for years.

It might take your body a couple of weeks to sort that out. If you keep interrupting that by drinking every few days, you will need to start over.

foodie1

Welcome to SR Dani! It takes time for your body to adjust to its new normal, please try to be patient with yourself. It took me about 4 months until I could say "all systems go." It got progressively better that whole time, but I wouldn't say I was totally done readjusting until then. Now I don't need anything other than to be laying down (well, even sitting in a relaxed position really!) to fall asleep, and I wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Something that's really helped me is a new nighttime routine. When I'm within an hour of the time I want to go to sleep, I get all washed up for bed and cozy up under the sheets and I read a book. No phone, no computer, no TV, dim lights for that hour before bed. I'm giving my body unmistakable signals that it's time to wind down, that I'm going to sleep soon. It works really well.

All the best to you Dani, hang in there, it really does get better!!

DaniLeigh

Again, thanks to all for the replies. I felt like checking in so that you would know I'm not going to be one of those people who only posts during one night of desperation and then never comes back. (Because I *have* been that person before.) I am still maintaining my goals for the very near future.

I'm able to drink socially with my boyfriend without going overboard...now. We've been seeing each other for about a year, only on weekends as we both have very full lives. Several months ago, he noted, "Do you realize that you've gotten s***faced drunk four of the last five times we've hung out?" (He said it in a very gentle and nonjudgmental manner, which was helpful as I didn't feel nearly as defensive as I might have otherwise). Ever since he said that to me, I have been quite moderate when drinking with with him. He's a purely social drinker and is not one to get drunk. I've always been capable of moderating when I'm in a social situation that requires it (e.g., a work party), but most of my close friends and previous boyfriends have been heavy drinkers. So getting hammered with them was normal. Getting hammered alone was normal. What's frustrating to me is that I *am* capable of moderating...I just usually don't.

Now, finally, I'm in a place where getting drunk with my closest friend is not normal. I'm in a place where I'm absolutely determined that getting drunk while alone also will not be normal. In fact, drinking AT ALL while alone will not be normal. That was my reality 5 years ago. It will become my reality again.

Sleep is, and will continue to be for some time, an issue. My doctor gave me some sleeping pills that should hopefully help. I've taken them before, and going to bed after taking the recommended dosage of a sleep aid is very different than going to sleep drunk. It feels like going to bed sober. For me, that experience has become very alien. Again, that was not the case 5 years ago, and I am determined that it will not be the case in the future. I expect that this will be rough, and I thank those of you who told me it's possible to get through it despite what might be some terrible nights.

I'm mainly putting this into writing because saying it to others - even though those "others" are anonymous people whom I'll never meet - helps to make it a reality for me. I'm not just thinking to myself, "Next week will be different. Next week I will change." I'm making it a public statement. I will let you know how it goes.

Paddler

I'm looking at a week tomorrow. I decided when I was so drunk Christmas Eve I couldn't or don't remember helping my wife set up Santa's gifts to my kids... and received the same gentle "do you know how drunk you were last night..." from my wife.

Enough. I also had a goal for New Year's Day, 2013 to "really" quit after 6 months of trying.

Now, I'm going to celebrate 1 week sober on New Year's Eve... instead of one last drunk

I didn't sleep for 3 or 4 days. Last night, however, while cuddling my 2 year old I slept like a baby. Fell asleep easily at 9:30 without thinking about it and slept until the puppy woke me up at 6. And it was awesome... I was exhausted when I was woken up but after a cup of coffee I felt great. It felt amazing to watch the sun rise...

Can't wait until the morning and feeling good.

You can do it. Start now... and never look back. And enjoy that first good nights sleep. Either tomorrow or three weeks from now.