Going to bed sober
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 131
Going to bed sober
Hi all. I have been here on and off for a while now, sometimes doing well, sometimes not so.
Lately I seem to have a good handle on this insiduous disease and just wanted to share my new experience of something that others take for granted on a daily basis.
I choose what time to go to bed rather than waking up in the early hours after passing out on the couch and stumbling in to bed hoping no one else has noticed. Most mornings I wont even remember what time that was anyway.
I spend time brushing my teeth an gargling with mouthwash rather than falling in to bed with smelly wine breath and a horrible boozey film coating on my teeth. That was a horrible feeling every morning.
I go to bed now and think about my day, often planning for the future and if I cant fall straight to sleep thats ok, no panicky beating heart, just a lovely calm knowledge that I will eventually.
If I wake during the night its just a natural sleep interuption. I have a glass of water and fall back asleep, instead of laying there worrying about what I said, did, txtd the night before, usually in black out.
In the morning I wake to hear the birds singing, I get up without struggling or dreading those last night thoughts from crashing in.
I start my day by making my bed and always looking forward to the evening when I will be GOING TO BED SOBER.
Hope you are all doing ok today.
SB
Lately I seem to have a good handle on this insiduous disease and just wanted to share my new experience of something that others take for granted on a daily basis.
I choose what time to go to bed rather than waking up in the early hours after passing out on the couch and stumbling in to bed hoping no one else has noticed. Most mornings I wont even remember what time that was anyway.
I spend time brushing my teeth an gargling with mouthwash rather than falling in to bed with smelly wine breath and a horrible boozey film coating on my teeth. That was a horrible feeling every morning.
I go to bed now and think about my day, often planning for the future and if I cant fall straight to sleep thats ok, no panicky beating heart, just a lovely calm knowledge that I will eventually.
If I wake during the night its just a natural sleep interuption. I have a glass of water and fall back asleep, instead of laying there worrying about what I said, did, txtd the night before, usually in black out.
In the morning I wake to hear the birds singing, I get up without struggling or dreading those last night thoughts from crashing in.
I start my day by making my bed and always looking forward to the evening when I will be GOING TO BED SOBER.
Hope you are all doing ok today.
SB
Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 46
that's amazing. I am so grateful for that too.
I haven't had one of those waking up at three am with THE DREAD for a year. I never have to have one again. There's a lot about where I am that is hard, but THAT fact is amazing and makes me happy.
I haven't had one of those waking up at three am with THE DREAD for a year. I never have to have one again. There's a lot about where I am that is hard, but THAT fact is amazing and makes me happy.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 4,553
Great isn't it Summerbee? I absolutely love putting my head on the pillow sober each night and waking up to a new day free of crippling anxiety and fear. Long may it continue!!!! Thanks for the post a lovely reminder of the beauty of the simple things ❤❤❤
Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Rupert ID
Posts: 469
Great post, Bee. As well as all the beauty and benifits of sobriety, I like that you allude to something else important; having a daily, sober, routine! Brush your teeth, make your bed, etc. When we are drinking, we forget and/or don't care about those things. It's important in our sober lives that we have those routines and take pride in ourselves for being clean, tidy, and responsible. It's sounds minor, but I take pride now in my bed being made, apartment tidy, and I am showered and shaved by 8:00AM every morning.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: London
Posts: 2,040
I'm with you SummerBee...I think my favourite time of the day is the time I spend in bed before going to sleep where I reflect on the day, complete my daily gratitude list here on SR, read and post on SR before playing an audio book on my phone which I will fall asleep to.
Sweet dreams all x
Sweet dreams all x
Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 178
Right?!?! So many night's falling asleep on the couch. Letting my teeth rot from not brushing. Taking pills for the headaches. Letting my kids see me sprawled out with my mouth wide open with glass in hand. Ugh!!! Now I have a nightly routine of showering, brushing teeth, flossing, gargling, skin cream, drying my hair, picking out the next day clothes, making sure the house is tidy. Heck even my bills are all up to date because before I didn't give a crap if I paid them! Now my credit is better!! It sounds so mundane but it's wonderful! I fall asleep feeling (and smelling) so good!!!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 437
I'm on day 6 so I'm not entirely having the smooth transition of falling asleep straight away. Sometimes my head hits the pillow and my brain is just awake but it's normally going over what I plan for tomorrow and the positives of today which is a lot better than blacking out and waking up on the couch or waking up with the headache or acid reflux.
I'm finding early mornings to be so much better. Even if I had one bottle of wine (not the usual 2-3) I'd still just keep hitting snooze.
Everyday this week I've been up at 6, getting stuff ready for work, walking the dog and writing in my diary. I feel so much better and looking forward to my first sober weekend:-)
I'm finding early mornings to be so much better. Even if I had one bottle of wine (not the usual 2-3) I'd still just keep hitting snooze.
Everyday this week I've been up at 6, getting stuff ready for work, walking the dog and writing in my diary. I feel so much better and looking forward to my first sober weekend:-)
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,238
It is awesome to go to bed, to sleep sober. 
I was thinking yesterday morning about
a topic on beds.
There is nothing so wonderful than having
fresh new everything on your sober bed.
It doesnt mean you have to have new
mattresses if you cant afford them at
that moment, but to go to your local
Walmart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond
store to pick out new sheets, comforter,
whatever have you for your own sober
bed.
For us, we don't have new mattresses
just yet, so I wanted to make it as plush
as I could using several foam pads first,
then a new white mattress cover on that
before some brand new burgundy colored
sheets and pillow cases.
Finishing up with a burgundy blanket
and comforter which I didn't need to
replace right now.
Got the bed put together in the morning
so id have something awesome to think
about all day, knowing our clean fresh
new sheets would be right there waiting
for us at night.
I remember when I got sober 26 yrs
ago, having to spend 28 days in rehab,
a strange place away from my little
family, strange bed, etc,, then returning
home, to my own familiar surroundings
and esp. my own bed, felt like a gift in
recovery that I never wanted to take
for granted ever again.
Ever since then, my bed awaits a sober
me each night, not on the streets or clubs
carrying on, under the enfluence of alcohol,
deep within my addiction. My bed would
become my safe haven to rest my sober,
tired, forever grateful head, mind, body
and soul for a many one days sober ahead
of me.
What would your sober bed look like?
I was thinking yesterday morning about
a topic on beds.
There is nothing so wonderful than having
fresh new everything on your sober bed.
It doesnt mean you have to have new
mattresses if you cant afford them at
that moment, but to go to your local
Walmart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond
store to pick out new sheets, comforter,
whatever have you for your own sober
bed.
For us, we don't have new mattresses
just yet, so I wanted to make it as plush
as I could using several foam pads first,
then a new white mattress cover on that
before some brand new burgundy colored
sheets and pillow cases.
Finishing up with a burgundy blanket
and comforter which I didn't need to
replace right now.
Got the bed put together in the morning
so id have something awesome to think
about all day, knowing our clean fresh
new sheets would be right there waiting
for us at night.
I remember when I got sober 26 yrs
ago, having to spend 28 days in rehab,
a strange place away from my little
family, strange bed, etc,, then returning
home, to my own familiar surroundings
and esp. my own bed, felt like a gift in
recovery that I never wanted to take
for granted ever again.
Ever since then, my bed awaits a sober
me each night, not on the streets or clubs
carrying on, under the enfluence of alcohol,
deep within my addiction. My bed would
become my safe haven to rest my sober,
tired, forever grateful head, mind, body
and soul for a many one days sober ahead
of me.
What would your sober bed look like?
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
