Tomorrow will be 3 weeks and doing well except....
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 13
Tomorrow will be 3 weeks and doing well except....
Tomorrow is 3 weeks. I've not had any huge cravings beyond a stray thought here or there. Health and stamina improving. I can once again eat what I want, when I want and have no digestive issues. Plus I'm saving money, which has been a big thing, let me tell you.
But my sleep patterns are still shot. I drank to sleep, for the most part, at the beginning because of bad insomnia. The insomnia is just as present now and as problematic as it was pre drinking. I don't want to take sleep meds or anything like that. Has anyone had this issue either before or after sobriety and found a solution? I've tried melatonin but it just makes me queasy.
But my sleep patterns are still shot. I drank to sleep, for the most part, at the beginning because of bad insomnia. The insomnia is just as present now and as problematic as it was pre drinking. I don't want to take sleep meds or anything like that. Has anyone had this issue either before or after sobriety and found a solution? I've tried melatonin but it just makes me queasy.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,465
Congratulations on 3 weeks of sobriety!
I have had insomnia since my teenage years. It was one of the things that pushed me to drinking in my mid forties, thinking it would help me sleep. Big mistake! I've been in recovery for a long time now and the insomnia is always with me. Melatonin does nothing for me. I read, watch mindless tv, that kind of thing.
I have had insomnia since my teenage years. It was one of the things that pushed me to drinking in my mid forties, thinking it would help me sleep. Big mistake! I've been in recovery for a long time now and the insomnia is always with me. Melatonin does nothing for me. I read, watch mindless tv, that kind of thing.
You're not shackled to not drinking, you're free from drinking
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 1,406
Unfortunately getting sober won't cure any pre-existing conditions. I naively hoped my depression would go away. It didn't. But you can find more healthy ways to cope and your overall quality of life will be much better.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 35,731
I tried melatonin, it gave me awful nightmares.
Lots of members use sleep time tea. They seem to love it. Maybe you could give it a try, WithGodsGrace.
What is in sleepy time tea?
Not only is Sleepytime caffeine-free but it contains herbs that are mildly relaxing and healing for the stomach. Drink this lovely tea before bed either with or without honey. Sleepytime contains chamomile, spearmint, lemongrass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorne berries and rosebuds.
Congratulations on 3 weeks!
Lots of members use sleep time tea. They seem to love it. Maybe you could give it a try, WithGodsGrace.
What is in sleepy time tea?
Not only is Sleepytime caffeine-free but it contains herbs that are mildly relaxing and healing for the stomach. Drink this lovely tea before bed either with or without honey. Sleepytime contains chamomile, spearmint, lemongrass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, orange blossoms, hawthorne berries and rosebuds.
Congratulations on 3 weeks!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Omaha,NE
Posts: 372
Originally Posted by WithGodsGrace13 
Tomorrow is 3 weeks. I've not had any huge cravings beyond a stray thought here or there. Health and stamina improving. I can once again eat what I want, when I want and have no digestive issues. Plus I'm saving money, which has been a big thing, let me tell you.
But my sleep patterns are still shot. I drank to sleep, for the most part, at the beginning because of bad insomnia. The insomnia is just as present now and as problematic as it was pre drinking. I don't want to take sleep meds or anything like that. Has anyone had this issue either before or after sobriety and found a solution? I've tried melatonin but it just makes me queasy.
But my sleep patterns are still shot. I drank to sleep, for the most part, at the beginning because of bad insomnia. The insomnia is just as present now and as problematic as it was pre drinking. I don't want to take sleep meds or anything like that. Has anyone had this issue either before or after sobriety and found a solution? I've tried melatonin but it just makes me queasy.
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,355
Congrats on your sober time WithGodsGrace13
I'm sorry for your sleeping issues tho.
Sleepytime tea is popular these days but like anything it may not be suitable for everyone.
Does Sleepytime Tea Actually Help You Fall Asleep?
It's worth checking with your Dr about possible interactions with other meds and allergies etc.
If your sleeping problem is a long term one (and it sounds as if it is ) it's probably best to see a Dr anyway?
There are some good common sense tips for sleep here that may help:
10 tips to beat insomnia - Live Well - NHS Choices
Insomnia Tips - How to Get Better Sleep
D
I'm sorry for your sleeping issues tho.
Sleepytime tea is popular these days but like anything it may not be suitable for everyone.
Does Sleepytime Tea Actually Help You Fall Asleep?
It's worth checking with your Dr about possible interactions with other meds and allergies etc.
If your sleeping problem is a long term one (and it sounds as if it is ) it's probably best to see a Dr anyway?
There are some good common sense tips for sleep here that may help
:10 tips to beat insomnia - Live Well - NHS Choices
Insomnia Tips - How to Get Better Sleep
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Boston Ma
Posts: 980
Interesting, I had to read the name of the poster because I felt I could have written the "3 week" post, back then. I took to the couch with an overhead fan for the first month. Recited my list of values in my head, just lay there in grief and sobriety. Finally my sleep has returned but it took more than a month.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: California
Posts: 1,428
WGG, I was an insomniac pre drinking and still am one sober. I do not wake up as panicked at 2 or 3 am though. Melatonin does nothing for me. A family member (insomnia is family trait) started taking magnesium with great results. (Under naturopath guidance)
I am under drs supervision now for sleep issues. We talked out drinking, anxiety meds, insomnia, how it all intertwines and what to do. Definitely see a physician as forum recommends. Good luck.
I am under drs supervision now for sleep issues. We talked out drinking, anxiety meds, insomnia, how it all intertwines and what to do. Definitely see a physician as forum recommends. Good luck.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,518
Originally Posted by JD
Unfortunately getting sober won't cure any pre-existing conditions.
I hope you find sleep soon WITH GODSGRACE
EndGame
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 4,677
I'm not promoting anything here for people who suffer from either insomnia or depression. Just my experience, and what I've learned. Insomnia has an intimate relationship with anxiety and depression. In fact, when interviewing people about one or the other, it's only surprising to me that they don't report a disturbance in sleep.
Insomnia is a serious health and mental health problem that shouldn't be put off until we're "ready" to do something about it.
I've posted two informative links at the top for those of you who don't care to read through my post:
10 Surprising Effects of Lack of Sleep
How Sleep Deprivation Can Actually Kill You
I've had chronic and severe insomnia since my first memory at age three. I believe it was linked to childhood asthma in that I was terrified that if I fell asleep I would die during an asthma attack. There wasn't much in terms of treatment for asthma at the time.
Back then, codeine was freely prescribed for children with a range of respiratory problems. Because both parents had careers, my mother, a nurse, would leave me with my liquid codeine when she went to work, though until I was older there was always someone there to watch me. I don't remember taking it when I didn't think I needed it, but I do recall that I loved the overall effect. Maybe some kind of contributor to my alcoholism, but certainly not the cause. My perspective is that there are a number of variables involved in addictions, including but not limited to temperament, genetics, social/family supports, personality traits, and many more things, some of which we are currently unaware. It's a complicated recipe, which is only one reason why I believe that it's useless, and often harmful, to attempt to discover "why I drank" as prologue or condition for putting down the drink.
Anyway, I was younger then and better able to compensate for my substantial lack of sleep, often falling asleep during the day, sometimes at work or school. It was far from ideal, but I worked through it. I was anti-medication back then for just about everything that had to do with mental health, and I never considered it, even when my insomnia persisted through about the first twelve years of my sobriety. But then things got very complicated. I suffered a serious episode of major depressive disorder following two deaths within a few months of each other, and I was a total wreck. Stopped eating, not even a hint of sleep, lost thirty pounds in about a month, and feeling like crap most of the time. The timing with these kinds of things is never good, but I'd taken on multiple responsibilities at the time that I didn't want to either leave behind or put on hold. I was able to keep it together, even excel, in my training and in my work, but typically collapsed -- without sleeping -- when I was home.
So my insomnia got worse, and I continued to suffer a protracted episode of MDD, maybe as much as eighteen months. My therapist and I decided that the therapy alone wasn't enough. I saw a psychiatrist for a psych eval, and we agreed that a trial of meds was a good way to go. We also decided on meds for sleep. I had tried chamomile tea, Sleepy-Time Tea, and Valerian Root with minimal success, and all of them stopped working for me. I had better success with L-tryptophan, but then someone started poisoning it and it was taken off the market. Also Melatonin. Problem is, if you're taking an SSRI for depression, and you add Melatonin for sleep, you run a pretty good risk of developing what's known as "Serotonin Syndrome," which carries some serious symptoms (e.g., mania or manic episodes) and can be fatal, since Melatonin promotes the production and/or the availability of Serotonin in the brain, adding to the increased availability of serotonin produced by SSRIs. (Bolded for the benefit of those who may not know this.)
The SSRI worked just fine, and I've been taking antidepressant meds for about twenty years. I tried to make a go of it without the meds on two occasions, and the results were not at all good. I've recently switched to Wellbutrin, and NDRI, that works with the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, and is very different from SSRIs that are only aimed at serotonin. It's working well for me, with a marked increase in energy. Wellbutrin is also marketed as Zyban, which helps people who want to stop smoking. It doesn't promote weight gain, a lowering of libido, or sexual dysfunction, so there's that.
When I first started taking my sleep meds, it was as though I'd never had a good night's sleep in my life. And I learned that there is nothing either courageous or ennobling about getting little or no sleep, though some people seem to wear this as a badge of honor. I've needed to change/augment my meds over time, but the benefits have been substantial. Improved mood, increased energy and productivity, enhanced alertness and concentration, improved memory, lowering of irritability, and a general improvement in both physical and mental health generally. Living without sleep or with broken sleep can contribute to some dire medical consequences, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression.
It doesn't need to medication for everyone but, onne way or another, it's important to get a good night's sleep, or at least one that allows you to rest for a substantial period of time. There are sleep clinics that sometimes offer both treatment and payment to people who participate in their studies. Some may be covered by insurance. Meditation works for some, and exercise for others. I'm certain there are plenty of resources one can find online as well.
Insomnia is a serious health and mental health problem that shouldn't be put off until we're "ready" to do something about it.
I've posted two informative links at the top for those of you who don't care to read through my post:
10 Surprising Effects of Lack of Sleep
How Sleep Deprivation Can Actually Kill You
I've had chronic and severe insomnia since my first memory at age three. I believe it was linked to childhood asthma in that I was terrified that if I fell asleep I would die during an asthma attack. There wasn't much in terms of treatment for asthma at the time.
Back then, codeine was freely prescribed for children with a range of respiratory problems. Because both parents had careers, my mother, a nurse, would leave me with my liquid codeine when she went to work, though until I was older there was always someone there to watch me. I don't remember taking it when I didn't think I needed it, but I do recall that I loved the overall effect. Maybe some kind of contributor to my alcoholism, but certainly not the cause. My perspective is that there are a number of variables involved in addictions, including but not limited to temperament, genetics, social/family supports, personality traits, and many more things, some of which we are currently unaware. It's a complicated recipe, which is only one reason why I believe that it's useless, and often harmful, to attempt to discover "why I drank" as prologue or condition for putting down the drink.
Anyway, I was younger then and better able to compensate for my substantial lack of sleep, often falling asleep during the day, sometimes at work or school. It was far from ideal, but I worked through it. I was anti-medication back then for just about everything that had to do with mental health, and I never considered it, even when my insomnia persisted through about the first twelve years of my sobriety. But then things got very complicated. I suffered a serious episode of major depressive disorder following two deaths within a few months of each other, and I was a total wreck. Stopped eating, not even a hint of sleep, lost thirty pounds in about a month, and feeling like crap most of the time. The timing with these kinds of things is never good, but I'd taken on multiple responsibilities at the time that I didn't want to either leave behind or put on hold. I was able to keep it together, even excel, in my training and in my work, but typically collapsed -- without sleeping -- when I was home.
So my insomnia got worse, and I continued to suffer a protracted episode of MDD, maybe as much as eighteen months. My therapist and I decided that the therapy alone wasn't enough. I saw a psychiatrist for a psych eval, and we agreed that a trial of meds was a good way to go. We also decided on meds for sleep. I had tried chamomile tea, Sleepy-Time Tea, and Valerian Root with minimal success, and all of them stopped working for me. I had better success with L-tryptophan, but then someone started poisoning it and it was taken off the market. Also Melatonin. Problem is, if you're taking an SSRI for depression, and you add Melatonin for sleep, you run a pretty good risk of developing what's known as "Serotonin Syndrome," which carries some serious symptoms (e.g., mania or manic episodes) and can be fatal, since Melatonin promotes the production and/or the availability of Serotonin in the brain, adding to the increased availability of serotonin produced by SSRIs. (Bolded for the benefit of those who may not know this.)
The SSRI worked just fine, and I've been taking antidepressant meds for about twenty years. I tried to make a go of it without the meds on two occasions, and the results were not at all good. I've recently switched to Wellbutrin, and NDRI, that works with the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, and is very different from SSRIs that are only aimed at serotonin. It's working well for me, with a marked increase in energy. Wellbutrin is also marketed as Zyban, which helps people who want to stop smoking. It doesn't promote weight gain, a lowering of libido, or sexual dysfunction, so there's that.
When I first started taking my sleep meds, it was as though I'd never had a good night's sleep in my life. And I learned that there is nothing either courageous or ennobling about getting little or no sleep, though some people seem to wear this as a badge of honor. I've needed to change/augment my meds over time, but the benefits have been substantial. Improved mood, increased energy and productivity, enhanced alertness and concentration, improved memory, lowering of irritability, and a general improvement in both physical and mental health generally. Living without sleep or with broken sleep can contribute to some dire medical consequences, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression.
It doesn't need to medication for everyone but, onne way or another, it's important to get a good night's sleep, or at least one that allows you to rest for a substantial period of time. There are sleep clinics that sometimes offer both treatment and payment to people who participate in their studies. Some may be covered by insurance. Meditation works for some, and exercise for others. I'm certain there are plenty of resources one can find online as well.
thank you
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
I had incredibly vivid nightmares during the last 6 months of my drinking (last year), which turned into very vivid dreams as I got sober, and I now sleep well and dream "normally" (ie, I sometimes remember and sometimes don't like a normal person!). I take seroquel every night as a maintenance drug.
You haven't been sober that long. Sleep can take awhile to readjust to (your) normal; do see a dr if it persists - and if you find that the usual things like "no caffeine late/turn off electronics/etc etc" (and do you nap? That can make night sleep tougher for some) don't help when you adjust any habits like these.
IME, it just takes time.
You haven't been sober that long. Sleep can take awhile to readjust to (your) normal; do see a dr if it persists - and if you find that the usual things like "no caffeine late/turn off electronics/etc etc" (and do you nap? That can make night sleep tougher for some) don't help when you adjust any habits like these.
IME, it just takes time.
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