james872

Hey all,

I'm on day 25 and it's going well. I'm noticing an interesting phenomenon.

For about a week, I have an enormous need for sleep. Everything inside me is telling me to sleep. I've been sleeping 11-14 hours a night and still am tired all day long.

Actually, just today I noticed I felt exhausted. And it was a relief. Because I noticed that I had rested back up to the level of exhaustion. Before that moment I was beyond exhausted, completely burned out to the point of even walking across the room being very heavy and difficult.

It's part of my recovery process. I feel like I need a very long period of time of sleeping as much as I can. Fortunately I don't have a job right now, so I have all the time I need.

And the sleep itself is incredibly good and healing. I sleep in a state of deep relaxation and mentally my mind is sorting things out in my dreams and is actually solving problems here and there. Sometimes I have bad dreams which take a turn for the better or in which I act in a useful way that takes care of the situation.

Other dreams are like a mental detox. It's like a mental mess is being cleared out. And other dreams are just dreams.

But I do know that it results in me being more mentally healthy each day. I feel it in my confidence, in my clarity, in a lot of things.

I don't know how this got triggered, but I can't say I don't like it.

It feels like this may go on for a long time until it's done. And I'm taking that time. There will be a moment where I know this phase is over.

Does this sound at all familiar to anyone? Or am I just weird?

J.

Anna

I think it's really important to listen to your body in the early days and, as much as possible, accommodate its needs. I wasn't able to sleep much, but I had lost weight and my body clearly wanted lots of good food.

jaynie04

Hi James...great post! For me it has been interesting to watch my body trying to figure out what the h is going on now that I have removed alcohol and drugs from the picture. I know it is going to take a while. I LOVE the idea of resting back UP to exhaustion...brilliant. I am not feeling great physically, but that's ok. I have 2 diseases that cause chronic pain. However, there was no way I was going to get healthy until I got sober.

I am taking it easy and just observing. Hearing from others like you makes me realize I am not alone.

TexasMichael

I've noticed a lot of the same things. You've explained it much better than I could. Thanks.

lorelei

Hi James
I'm on day 8 and so tired. I just slept for 2 hours now!

I suppose it's our bodies way of recovering after all the broken nights sleep and trauma we've put it thro.

Time to heal..

Congrats on 25 days x

Eleni58

James, I am jealous. Day 45 of sobriety and I still have horrible insomnia. Don't get to sleep intil 4 or 5 a.m. and sleep about 4 hours and it is a fitful sleep. Congrats on day 25!

Mentium

I'm sleeping 8 plus hours a night and often an hour or two in the afternoon when I can. I'm not fighting it for now. Seems to be part of recovering.

It is a refreshing change from falling asleep/unconscious on the sofa, dragging myself off to bed at 3 or 4 in the morning and often just tossing and turning the rest of the night and not really sleeping properly at all.

Funny really, because one of my excuses for drinking has often been that I don't sleep well without it. The reality is somewhat different!

james872

Thanks for the responses! It's very helpful for me to hear about other people's experiences.

hayley86

Congrats on 25 days. I also felt the need to sleep lots in early sobriety. I made sure i had as much sleep as i needed. This was such a relief after years of drinking and not sleeping naturally or very well at all. Good quality sleep is another thing i am very grateful for in sobriety.

GreekGuy

I'm 2 weeks in and I def. have a lot more energy. But I am still tired a lot but don't sleep. The first few days I didn't sleep at all, was up for almost 3 days straight till I finally fell asleep. It was really frustrating. Now I try to go to bed at a normal hour but I tend not to fall asleep till about 4 - 5 am but once asleep I don't wake up unless I have to. Then it is a total burst of energy but than I def. take a deep fall till tiredness. I'm about to walk my dog now that I'm done with dinner and around 8 I'm going to go for a bike ride. I hope that tires me out but also make me feel better. You are probably sleeping a lot because when on alcohol even if you sleep you don't get the appropriate part of rem sleep, so your body is probably catching up.

Congrats on 25 days.