Insomnia & Anxiety - need some advice...
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, United Kingdom
Posts: 273
Insomnia & Anxiety - need some advice...
Day two here and after an awful night could use some advice.
I've been self-medicating with red wine mainly (average a bottle a night, sometimes more) in order to get to sleep for about a year at that level, and can't remember a day without at least two/three glasses a night for over a decade.
It all started with 'wine o'clock' when I had two children under two - uncorking a bottle once they were asleep became something to look forward to. They are now 12 and 11 and it's caught up with me. It's affecting my parenting and ability to function at work - obsessing over when I can have my next drink dominates my thinking all day every day and, after a scary binge episode at Christmas, I decided I had to stop before something really bad happened.
I have been cutting down since then and knocked 'just the one glass' on the head 24 hours ago.
My insomnia is back with a vengence - no more than 3.5 hours last night snatched in half hour intervals with terrifying, vivid nightmares. Few hangover/physical withdrawal symptoms this morning, but my anxiety level is off the charts.
I have 'brain fog', can't concentrate and am terrified that I've blown up my brain chemistry permanently.
I know we're all different, but any advice from anyone who's been here would really help. How long does this bit last? When will I feel less jittery and lose the feeling of impending doom? It's really messing with my resolve.
I'm determined to not drink today - but right now, poor-quality alcohol induced sleep compared to my current state of mind would be great. How did you all do it?
I've been self-medicating with red wine mainly (average a bottle a night, sometimes more) in order to get to sleep for about a year at that level, and can't remember a day without at least two/three glasses a night for over a decade.
It all started with 'wine o'clock' when I had two children under two - uncorking a bottle once they were asleep became something to look forward to. They are now 12 and 11 and it's caught up with me. It's affecting my parenting and ability to function at work - obsessing over when I can have my next drink dominates my thinking all day every day and, after a scary binge episode at Christmas, I decided I had to stop before something really bad happened.
I have been cutting down since then and knocked 'just the one glass' on the head 24 hours ago.
My insomnia is back with a vengence - no more than 3.5 hours last night snatched in half hour intervals with terrifying, vivid nightmares. Few hangover/physical withdrawal symptoms this morning, but my anxiety level is off the charts.
I have 'brain fog', can't concentrate and am terrified that I've blown up my brain chemistry permanently.
I know we're all different, but any advice from anyone who's been here would really help. How long does this bit last? When will I feel less jittery and lose the feeling of impending doom? It's really messing with my resolve.
I'm determined to not drink today - but right now, poor-quality alcohol induced sleep compared to my current state of mind would be great. How did you all do it?
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,746
Welcome! We have a forum just for insomnia. Take a look.
Insomnia/Nightmares - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Insomnia/Nightmares - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 437
Hello Soshie8,
When I started getting sober I also had terrible anxiety attacks. It was just time that made them "fade". I still have the odd one but not the gut-wrenching fear that seemed to come out of no-where. Time made all the difference. Every day it got better and my motivation was to look at yesterday and know that today would be better, even just a little bit. It took me about 5 days for most of my symptoms to disappear or be greatly reduced.
I'm also a serial insomniac. Been like this for 10 / 15 years. Before I started drinking. It was incredibly frustrating at first. Average about 3 maybe 4 hours sleep a night. Have been on various sleeping tablets which seem to work for a while but then pack up. One doctor said to me "that's what your body needs". So I try not to stress now. I read, take a walk, plan my day ahead, It was VERY difficult to adjust to for me, but I think I'm getting there over the years. In the morning I don't feel tired and now and again I have a "mega-sleep", normally over weekends where I'll sleep for say 8 hours and maybe that helps to recharge my batteries.
Strength with your recovery. On day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time if necessary.
You will find some fantastic people on this forum with loads of experience and sound advice.
All the best,
B.
When I started getting sober I also had terrible anxiety attacks. It was just time that made them "fade". I still have the odd one but not the gut-wrenching fear that seemed to come out of no-where. Time made all the difference. Every day it got better and my motivation was to look at yesterday and know that today would be better, even just a little bit. It took me about 5 days for most of my symptoms to disappear or be greatly reduced.
I'm also a serial insomniac. Been like this for 10 / 15 years. Before I started drinking. It was incredibly frustrating at first. Average about 3 maybe 4 hours sleep a night. Have been on various sleeping tablets which seem to work for a while but then pack up. One doctor said to me "that's what your body needs". So I try not to stress now. I read, take a walk, plan my day ahead, It was VERY difficult to adjust to for me, but I think I'm getting there over the years. In the morning I don't feel tired and now and again I have a "mega-sleep", normally over weekends where I'll sleep for say 8 hours and maybe that helps to recharge my batteries.
Strength with your recovery. On day at a time, one hour at a time, one minute at a time if necessary.
You will find some fantastic people on this forum with loads of experience and sound advice.
All the best,
B.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: London, United Kingdom
Posts: 273
Thanks Bruce and L4H123. I'm trying to keep busy and mindful, hoping to look back on this bit in terms of days not weeks. Being physically shattered and unable to sleep is going to be my weak point, but it's good to know I can check in here if it gets bad. Love the global aspect to SR, time differences don't matter 
Hears The Voice
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Unshackled
Posts: 7,901
I have been dealing with insomnia for decades. I have learned a lot of tips, tricks, tactics and strategies along the way that are effective.
Some things that work for me:
Not drinking. You can't count passing out as getting sleep. After a binge it usually takes me about a week to get my sleep 'right' again. That made it difficult for years, because after 3, 4, 5, 6 nights of poor sleep the judgment is fouled and passing out seems to make more sense than powering through. I have learned over time that it is better to power through, but it's tough.
No TV in the bedroom. This was a huge point of contention with my wife - who could sleep standing on a ladder. She really likes that damn thing on all the time. The stimulation is too much for me. The bedroom has to be associated with peace, quiet, rest and sleeping in my mind, and the TV interferes with that. After years of fighting about it I have prevailed.
Melatonin has worked for me, but not every time. I found that the later I take it the groggier I'll feel in the morning. If I am going to take it I take it before 10. But I almost never take it because I almost never have trouble falling asleep any more, and I can never predict when I will have trouble staying asleep.
Prescription meds - nearly the same result as melatonin, except that I would also be constipated. My doctor said I am the only person he has ever had complain about that,and it's not indicated in the literature, but I am convinced it was the Ambien. (Benadryl is also sometimes prescribed,and it definitely causes constipation.)
Keeping a routine. Same bedtime at night (within a half hour). Same pre-bed rituals - bathroom, hygiene, hanging up clothes, etc.
CPAP. I have obstructive sleep apnea, so I sleep with that alien machine stuck to my face. It took some getting used to, but now I can't sleep without it.
Reading. Probably the same as keeping a routine. I always get in bed and read. My brain now associates reading in bed with falling asleep so strongly that I barely get a few pages before I can't keep my eyes open. Sometimes this is a bit disappointing because I might really be enjoying a book and get in bed a little early to read - and I can't stay awake!
Hopefully there are some things in there for you to try. Best of luck!
Some things that work for me:
Not drinking. You can't count passing out as getting sleep. After a binge it usually takes me about a week to get my sleep 'right' again. That made it difficult for years, because after 3, 4, 5, 6 nights of poor sleep the judgment is fouled and passing out seems to make more sense than powering through. I have learned over time that it is better to power through, but it's tough.
No TV in the bedroom. This was a huge point of contention with my wife - who could sleep standing on a ladder. She really likes that damn thing on all the time. The stimulation is too much for me. The bedroom has to be associated with peace, quiet, rest and sleeping in my mind, and the TV interferes with that. After years of fighting about it I have prevailed.
Melatonin has worked for me, but not every time. I found that the later I take it the groggier I'll feel in the morning. If I am going to take it I take it before 10. But I almost never take it because I almost never have trouble falling asleep any more, and I can never predict when I will have trouble staying asleep.
Prescription meds - nearly the same result as melatonin, except that I would also be constipated. My doctor said I am the only person he has ever had complain about that,and it's not indicated in the literature, but I am convinced it was the Ambien. (Benadryl is also sometimes prescribed,and it definitely causes constipation.)
Keeping a routine. Same bedtime at night (within a half hour). Same pre-bed rituals - bathroom, hygiene, hanging up clothes, etc.
CPAP. I have obstructive sleep apnea, so I sleep with that alien machine stuck to my face. It took some getting used to, but now I can't sleep without it.
Reading. Probably the same as keeping a routine. I always get in bed and read. My brain now associates reading in bed with falling asleep so strongly that I barely get a few pages before I can't keep my eyes open. Sometimes this is a bit disappointing because I might really be enjoying a book and get in bed a little early to read - and I can't stay awake!
Hopefully there are some things in there for you to try. Best of luck!
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