sleep aid
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It takes a while. I was awake from 3am on no matter what time I went to sleep for the first 6 months or so. I would advise against using any sort of sleep aid. Cutting back on, or cutting out, caffeine completely also helps. Excercise is good. Creating a calming environment - like others said - taking a hot shower, clean sheets, a nice scented air diffuser, draw the curtains, read a book (or if you have limited attention span like I did - flipping through people mag and looking at the pics) also helps. Your body has been through a lot and your nervous system will take a while to heal. This is completely normal. Just give yourself a lot of grace and let your body adjust and heal. It is not an overnight (no pun intended haha) matter. Big hugs.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
Originally Posted by jwc1 
Thanks for the advice!!!! I am looking into meditation!!!!
If you do sleep you might also have nightmares, your brain taking up where you left off. Get a really boring book and read it if you can't sleep. Your brain may put you to sleep in order to avoid the boredom. I recall a judge who said that a particular prestigious law review always put him to sleep. Get a CD with Buddhist chanting ("Om mani padme hummmmmm....!")
Soothing TV, boring book. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon, particularly late afternoon,. Never use alcohol as a sedative. Never use alcohol. Get a good doctor, a good one who won't prescribe habit forming drugs. I had two that did.
Exercise, a cat to purr in your ear. A noisemaker to make "white" noise.
W.
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 92
Originally Posted by Eastcoaster20
I started using a white noise machine a few years ago to help with my insomnia. Best investment ever.
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Join Date: Apr 2017
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Originally Posted by wpainterw
Avoid "exciting" or violent or horror TV prior to bed time. If you do sleep you might also have nightmares, your brain taking up where you left off.
Get a really boring book and read it if you can't sleep. Your brain may put you to sleep in order to avoid the boredom. I recall a judge who said that a particular prestigious law review always put him to sleep. Get a CD with Buddhist chanting ("Om mani padme hummmmmm....!")
Soothing TV, boring book. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon, particularly late afternoon,. Never use alcohol as a sedative. Never use alcohol. Get a good doctor, a good one who won't prescribe habit forming drugs. I had two that did.
Exercise, a cat to purr in your ear. A noisemaker to make "white" noise.
W.
If you do sleep you might also have nightmares, your brain taking up where you left off. Get a really boring book and read it if you can't sleep. Your brain may put you to sleep in order to avoid the boredom. I recall a judge who said that a particular prestigious law review always put him to sleep. Get a CD with Buddhist chanting ("Om mani padme hummmmmm....!")
Soothing TV, boring book. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon, particularly late afternoon,. Never use alcohol as a sedative. Never use alcohol. Get a good doctor, a good one who won't prescribe habit forming drugs. I had two that did.
Exercise, a cat to purr in your ear. A noisemaker to make "white" noise.
W.
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 120,855
Originally Posted by jwc1
Ive got a fan that has a very slight hum,,,,will try that!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Turning the heat down at night can also be helpful.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
Double up on Cats
Maybe you need two cats. One to purr in each ear and a puppy to warm your toes. 
Sounds very much like you're going through what I did when I first quit for good back in 1988. If it's anything like that with you it should get better real soon, the sleeping, the appetite, the nerves, the whole bit. Then stick with it and you'll find real relief. The key for me was to get help from others in recovery, whether through AA or some other way. There's Smart Recovery and several other alternatives. It works better to do it with others. At least that's what I found. Good luck.
Bill
Sounds very much like you're going through what I did when I first quit for good back in 1988. If it's anything like that with you it should get better real soon, the sleeping, the appetite, the nerves, the whole bit. Then stick with it and you'll find real relief. The key for me was to get help from others in recovery, whether through AA or some other way. There's Smart Recovery and several other alternatives. It works better to do it with others. At least that's what I found. Good luck.Bill
Originally Posted by jwc1
Very helpful advice!!!! Thanks much!!!!
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Originally Posted by wpainterw
Maybe you need two cats. One to purr in each ear and a puppy to warm your toes. Sounds very much like you're going through what I did when I first quit for good back in 1988. If it's anything like that with you it should get better real soon, the sleeping, the appetite, the nerves, the whole bit. Then stick with it and you'll find real relief. The key for me was to get help from others in recovery, whether through AA or some other way. There's Smart Recovery and several other alternatives. It works better to do it with others. At least that's what I found. Good luck.
Bill
Sounds very much like you're going through what I did when I first quit for good back in 1988. If it's anything like that with you it should get better real soon, the sleeping, the appetite, the nerves, the whole bit. Then stick with it and you'll find real relief. The key for me was to get help from others in recovery, whether through AA or some other way. There's Smart Recovery and several other alternatives. It works better to do it with others. At least that's what I found. Good luck.Bill
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
Originally Posted by jwc1
Walking my dog has been very very helpful!!!! Thanks for the advice!!!!!
Instant diagnosis. Doesn't overbill Medicare.Bill.
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Join Date: Apr 2017
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Originally Posted by wpainterw
My dog likes to get on the bed, come up close and look me right in the eyes. He's got the best bedside manner of any doctor I ever had. Instant diagnosis. Doesn't overbill Medicare.
Bill.
Instant diagnosis. Doesn't overbill Medicare.Bill.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
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Originally Posted by jwc1
My dog sleeps with me,,,,my security blanket!!!! Cover diver!!!! Lol
Bill
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Join Date: Apr 2017
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Originally Posted by wpainterw
I'm simply delighted to hear that. 90 percent of medical care is bedside manner and another 90 percent is making sure you have a fur covered physician. 180 percent may seem like overdoing but getting a good recovery going is serious business!
Bill
Bill
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A lot of good suggestions here. I'd also add that when I had insomnia at night I would sneak naps in whenever I could (napped when waiting for kid at sports activity, tutoring, train home from work). Even though I had a hard time sleeping at night I usually fell asleep for these naps easily. This is the same strategy they told me when I had a newborn and got no sleep at night.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
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Originally Posted by Frank14
A lot of good suggestions here. I'd also add that when I had insomnia at night I would sneak naps in whenever I could (napped when waiting for kid at sports activity, tutoring, train home from work). Even though I had a hard time sleeping at night I usually fell asleep for these naps easily. This is the same strategy they told me when I had a newborn and got no sleep at night.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 3,550
Originally Posted by Frank14
A lot of good suggestions here. I'd also add that when I had insomnia at night I would sneak naps in whenever I could (napped when waiting for kid at sports activity, tutoring, train home from work). Even though I had a hard time sleeping at night I usually fell asleep for these naps easily. This is the same strategy they told me when I had a newborn and got no sleep at night.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
I would seriously avoid any sleep aid other than something natural, such as chamomile tea. You don't want to substutute one crutch for another. At the end of the day your body needs to flush the poisons out of your system and recalibrate itself back to normal.
W.
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Originally Posted by wpainterw
It's interesting and a little mind boggling how the body readapts to the absence of alcohol (after previously having "adapted" to its presence!). In some ways it's like a computer with a self correcting system, rebooting itself and returning to a default mode. It takes time for it to do this and all the while a more primitive part of the brain (the "beast? or "AV") is fighting off the rehabilitation and trying to maintain the alcoholic status quo. This is what makes recovery such a challenge and requires that one get all the help available, such as (first and foremost) other alcoholics further on in successful recovery, physicians, counselors, exercise, determination, grit, stamina, whatever it takes. Good luck
W.
W.
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