AJ143143

I am not having many withdrawal symptoms outside of the hunger and insomnia but I was diagnosed with insomnia years before I even drank so I suppose that is another dr appt. I wanted a drink today though. Just one I thought to myself. That little voice inside my head creeping in saying just a cocktail with lunch. One isn’t bad. I didn’t do it. I got through it. Went on a walk. Any tips on the insomnia would be amazing …. I feel like a zombie today.

AL48

Hi AJ . Luckily i didn't suffer with insomnia but found it very hard to sleep well if at all the first month. Exercise did it for me. I walk at lot regardless of weather not only for health reasons but to keep the AV to a minimum especially in the evenings. I eventually managed to sleep much better. I have also started meditation, its something i would have laughed at before but It definitely helps me to sleep too.

Anna

I'm glad you got through the day.

The main thing with insomnia as part of withdrawal is to know that it will probably ease up in days or weeks. For many people that's the case. In the meantime, exercise, be careful what you eat in the evenings, turn off screens a half hour or so before bedtime and meditation can help. It will very likely improve for you.

january161992

Great job on 6 days! Here's a chip for you and keep coming back!

Dee74

hi AJ

exercise helps me. I also tried to not take any stimulants before bed - coffee tea cigarettes. No screens either - sometimes the best thing is not a computer screen but a good book.

Other people swear by guided meditations. You can find free ones on YouTube.

Like I said in the other thread, though, if the insomnia is a new thing it should improve day by day…if it’s something you’ve battled before, you might have to look at getting some input from your Doctor.

D

dustyfox

Well done on day 6. Things do get a bit easier with sleep as time goes on but insomnia is one of those things that some people suffer from and it really is horrible.
There are some OTC remedies which you could try - herbal teas like camomile or lavender - sometimes it's just a case of accepting you have insomnia and not fighting it as that can make it worse!
Alcohol does not help though, the quality of your sleep will be poor and the damage to the rest of your health will just get worse. So keep going, and post often. sleep will come.

Hodd

I think you know that’s not true, AJ

It’s a horrible feeling, though, I’ll admit. It’s like having an insane itch and being told not to scratch it. But how long do these thoughts last, do you think? It’s probably a few minutes at the most. You mightn’t notice yet, but day 6 will be that tiny bit easier than day 1 was. That one drink will reset everything to day 1 levels. It does get easier, surprisingly so, after a couple of weeks. Keep it up, and well done.

VikingGF

Good job on day 6. My sleep took a while to improve but it did. I did begin doing puzzles at night in a book rather than watching TV, listened to music or a podcast.

Zencat

Keep challenging that AV.

Have you tried any OTC natural sleep aid supplements that can be approved by your doctor?

AJ143143

I do use over the counter sleep meds. They don’t work on me. They never really have. The insomnia came way before the drinking. I’ve had insomnia since I can remember and I didn’t start drinking until my thirties. I just turned 40 and I think that hormones play a huge role in my insomnia. It gets much worse certain times of the month. I’ve been to primary care doctors as well as psychiatrists… I’ve been prescribed sleeping pills but all 3 they tried me on made me pass out and wake up 5 hours later with even worse insomnia. So I only used those a few times. Unfortunately I think that insomnia is just a part of my genetic make up.