Debbie329

I see a pattern here.......sometimes I can't sleep......like Tuesday night......so then I knock myself out cause I feel horrible. Anybody else w this problem. FYI I got ambien from the doctor.......I doubled the dose Tuesday night and still couldn't sleep. Any ideas on how best to manage this.......it's stopping me from being sober.

LilyMarie

Have you ever heard of the "4-7-8 Breathing Technique"? People claim it can make them fall asleep in like, a minute. While that's not true for me, it absolutely does help calm me down and put all my focus into my breathing.
I'd put a link, but don't think I can, so just google it, and there are quite a few links! Good luck. Not being able to sleep is just the worst.

Latte

My doctors told me that I would sleep eventually and they were right. Sleep eluded me several times during my attempts at sobriety and for a brief time I did use a very old antidepressant that is often prescribed to people in recovery to help with sleep. There are options out there, including non medication based options. Mental health professionals are really good at finding these alternatives in my experience.

I try very hard to steer clear of medications like Zolpidem because I find that my brain takes days to recover from them and while in the past I enjoyed that out of it feeling, I no longer like it and know that it is poisonous to my body and mind. I do know at some point, you have to sleep and sometimes it is necessary to take medication to do so and what you take is between you and your doctor as far as I am concerned. I am just sharing my personal experience.

Peace.

Noolan

Debbie,

I had a bad fit of insomnia that I later realized was a direct result of alcohol. I was also on temazepam and ambien. I found these to be bandaids and I'd end up in the same place. Talk to your doctor, but I did some research and realized both drugs act on the GABA receptors of the brain just like alcohol. I had a cross tolerance and the only thing that led to sleep was abstinence of all. It was a tough readjustment period and just involved gutting through it. Now sleep is natural again. Exercising regularly also helps a great deal. Occasionally I'll take melatonin or valerian root, but I emphasize occasionally, because your body will become dependent on these as well. Not like a withdrawal, just more insomnia.

Debbie329

I felt really out of it yesterday......when I can't sleep I get hyperactive and can't relax.....I'm sick to my stomach and I can't think. I did go to my psychiatrist last week when this happened and since I was honest about using alcohol to knock me out.....he wouldn't prescribe anything. Ain't that a b$&@h......I can't function unless I sleep well.....that's all there is to it. Right now I'm laying in bed recovering from knocking myself out......I did sleep and I do feel better than yesterday but knocking myself out is not the answer.

Noolan

Lack of sleep was a huge trigger for me. Plain and simple, it sucks adjusting back to normal, but it's the only sustainable means to get sleep back.

Debbie329

I was doing really well......I was at about 45 days or so ....sleeping well.....then All the sudden I couldn't sleep......for days I didn't sleep........and then I knocked myself out at day 52...,,,and I have not recovered.......that was about 3 weeks ago.

Cauliflower

I am assuming you are early in your sobriety. It does take a while for some to get that first good nights sleep. Limiting stimulants in the afternoon: caffiene, internet, tv,electronics etc. does help. Make the time in early detox to unwind with a walk after work, stop and smell the roses, just breath .Your health and life is dependent on it, just slow down. It won't take long for you to regain your strength and live your life the way that you are intended too! It will happen sooner then you think.

Fly N Buy

When I drank and in early sobriety sleep was certainly an issue. When drinking or taking sleeping pills it was more like I passed out and regained consciousness than falling asleep and waking up.

My restlessness was attributable to anxiety and fear of all kinds. Too long a list to start here

I simply had to get through a few weeks and stack some time. I stopped drinking, went to meetings daily, began a simply meditation morning and night and took walks.

I would awake often and have dreams I drank. Then after about a week or two I slept mostly all night. I arose early without my body being beleaguered with poisons and would eat a good breakfast.

Slowly things changed. A day into 2-3-4 - a week into 3 or 4 - a month! A few months into a quarter of a year!! I put a few of those together and voilà I just hit a year.

I sleep like a baby now. I have let go of my fears, and found a peace like I have never experienced.

I am convinced anyone can do this. I have issues with family, $$$, displaced from career a few years back in mid 50's etc. We all have our burdens to bear.
Today I face them head on with a smile. The sober journey is incredible.

Thanks for post!!

Debbie329

I don't consume caffeine.....I don't watch tv, play video games etc. I read....I'm going to force myself to walk.......I used to walk around a local lake 3 or 4 times a week at 3.7 miles.......im also taking b vitamins......I'm actually gonna cut them out cause I don't need the extra energy. It just sucks when I can't sleep?

wpainterw

Debbie:
One thing is clear. At least it was for me. Alcohol seemed like it was helping me sleep but it only worked for an hour or so and then it waked me up and I needed more. And that's the slippery slope that leads horrendously downwards. Alcohol, as you no doubt know, is a depressant and also interferes with the ability of drugs prescribed to help sleep. And if you give up alcohol, although you will probably have sleep problems for a week or so, you will eventually sleep better than you have for a long time. At least this was my experience and I can only speak for myself. Quit drinking and give your doctor the chance to help you.

W.

Debbie329

I did quit drinking for 7 weeks ...... I slept like a baby.....woke up well rested etc......and then all the sudden I couldn't sleep......for days I couldn't sleep......I know I need to quit drinking......but I can't sleep and that makes me miserable irritable and totally non productive.. I see my psychiatrist on the 24th again..... I was dumb founded when he wouldn't give me anything.......I'm not a drug addict and I dont abuse drugs .......I have no history of drug abuse. I'm gonna walk .....and walk and walk. Thank god I don't have a regular job cause they'd have fired me by now.

mcfearless

Life long insomniac here. That's always been my rationalization for drinking too : That it helped me sleep.

The opposite is true and alcohol fuels insomnia.

I mentioned my insomnia to a client recently and she gave me some magnesium and zinc multivitamin. I laughed it off but graciously accepted. Then I took them (couldn't hurt to take some vits) and I was suddenly sleeping through the night, It was not psycho somatic as I did not expect them to work. It worked so well (for me) I google it and saw that this is meant to help with "restless leg syndrome" which I certainly have. And this in itself affects something like 10% of people mostly who mostly are never diagnosed.

Maybe worth a try ?

Another thing I did last time I kicked the booze was listen to "sleep meditation" youtube videos. Mostly they are just deep relaxation exercises but I would generally fall asleep before long with my headphones on.

Still for me a good old sleeping pill, although not ideal, is a small price to pay for sobriety but i know I'll have to ween myself off them soon.

mcfearless

With booze I would wake up countless times in the night, take a few swigs of wine or beer and snooze off again...3-4 times a night. That's CRAZY when I think back on it.

thomas11

The only thing I can offer here is something to share as I have had sleep issues most of my life. Alcohol eventually makes sleeping harder and its a poor quality of sleep, ambien withdrawal is aweful as I've been through it. I would never take a prescription sleep aid again in my life. Lastly, I Dr. once told me, when you get tired enough, you'll sleep. Your body has to. My sleep issues have almost completely gone away when sober, but when I can't I just ride it out, and I'll be darned, eventually my body tells me, "I gotta sleep man" Boom, out like a light.

Soberwolf

See if this helps Sleep Hygiene: Tips & Techniques - National Sleep Foundation

Dee74

I'm not sure how long you've been sober Debbie but sometimes it takes a little while to get a natural sleeping rhythm back.

With the ambien, I've found with meds twice as much rarely means twice as good - take care, ok?

D

newpage119

Hi Debbie,
I was taking a very high quality vitamin - dosage is twice a day and found that it disturbed my sleep. So I cut down to 1 pill in the morning and that helped.

Still getting a good vitamin, just not quite so much!

Debbie329

Thanks everyone.....I got some great tips here....I just woke up after sleeping almost 12 hours......no ambien no alcohol no vitamins......when I can't sleep I get physically ill.......I can't eat....my blood sugar goes crazy and I'm nervous.....I feel like I'm on high alert and am going to have a heart attack......it's just awful. My plan. I will start walking, I will dump the b vitamin and switch to a multi vitamin....I like the magnesium zinc idea......I'll try breathing deeply....I know alcohol interrupts my sleep....and it's not good sleep. I feel so refreshed now it's amazing.

PurpleKnight

Hang in there Debbie!!

Try some of the tips/advice here and don't let alcohol that away back into your life.

It can be crafty if you let it!!