Day 82 and Sleep
 

Hi all,

Day 82. So far so good. My AV creeps in at times and reminds me of all the lovely pubs I used to enjoy sitting in, whiling the day away with my own thoughts. But, I can still be rational and realise that overall, I must stay sober.
Loneliness has been a struggle but I'm working on that.

I'd like to ask for advice on sleep.

Historically my sleep has always been bad. I mean really really bad. I've suffered night terrors my whole life from a traumatic childhood and regularly wake up multiple times a night. I'd say 15 times on average. This means I struggle in the mornings as a typical 8 hour sleep is more like 5 and I feel like I need a solid 8 to be on form.

Since getting sober I've needed to sleep a lot. Not day naps or anything but 8-10 hours from falling asleep to getting up. It feels like a lot and more than in the past.

In the past when I've been sober, after just a couple of months my energy levels have increased, I sleep better and less and I generally feel normal. This time around I feel I'm struggling more.

My diet is good and I do regular exercise.
Just wondering of anyone has any thoughts on this. Is it still too early at 82 days to expect to feel "normal"? Am I still healing? Is it just age (I'm only 39 soon to be 40)?

I'm someone who is very hard on themselves and although I genuinely feel like I need these longer sleeps each day, I wake up feeling guilty and resentful towards myself. It gives me a bad start to the day and affects my mood and self-esteem.

Thanks for listening.

Yes, Mavericks, 82 days of sobriety, while a fantastic accomplishment, is still early times.

Sleep issues seem to be so variable with alcohol use (or withdrawal from same) being just one of many. I recently had a lengthy conversation with a friend who, as a Physician’s Assistant and researcher, has recently spent considerable time exploring sleep issues and quality of sleep. She mentioned how diet and exercise can impact sleep (healthy diet and regular exercise generally having positive effects; poor diet and lack of exercise generally having negative effects) and how stress and disease can negatively our sleep. So, what about those people who eat well, exercise and have no excessive stress or underlying disease and still have sleep issues? Her feeling is (and research seems to support this) that, for many, poor sleep due to an interrupted circadian rhythm is to blame; much of this is caused by exposure to excessive amounts of blue light in the hours prior to sleep; she recommends that her patients attempt to ‘reset’ their circadian rhythms by doing the following:

(1). Set a regular bedtime and stick to it:

(2). Eliminate as much blue light as possible after dark by (a) putting aside all electronic devices (mobile phones, tablets, laptops and television) at least two hours before bedtime, (b) using anti-blue light lenses after dark when using electronics; (c) reducing blue light emitted by fluorescent and LED bulbs by using fixtures with incandescent light.

(3). Set a wake-up time and stick to it.

(4). Upon waking, spend some time outside in the sun to ‘reset’ to daylight - ten to fifteen minutes.

Thanks. That's some really good advice. I am excessively guilty of watching YouTube right up to the point I sleep and I do often go to bed too late. I need to address both of those asap. I like the early morning wake up and get outside in natural light process. I'm going to try that asap.

Good luck, Mavericks; hope that you are soon sleeping well.

Mavericks, I am also an insomniac and I never feel I get the sleep I need so I do relate. One thing I'd say is that each detox I went through was harder to heal from. Things to longer to get back to normal. So, don't give up that your sleep will not be resolved. Stick to a routine and do things before bed that relax your mind.

We've got some similarities - both about to turn 40, both crap at sleeping and we quit the booze within a day of each other!

And both still sober! That's the main thing :-)
How have you been finding it? Have you tried quitting for any length of time in the past?

I drank myself to sleep for many years but I was back to a normal rhythm in weeks.

If you've always had sleep issues, chances are that not drinking alone may not solve the problem.

maybe its a good idea to look around for a sleep clinic or something like that?
https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/arti...be%20monitored.
D

I quit once before. Roughly 7 years ago after I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Lasted 2 months, went on a stag do, started again and here I am. Feels different this time though, feels more definitive. Like a switch has been flicked in my brain. I've been surprised at how much the withdrawal has affected me - especially the bad anxiety periods. However, I think the severity of the withdrawal is what pushed me to making a permanent change.

Been ok over Christmas, got through a few difficult conversations about why I'm not drinking. Weirdly, my cravings have stepped up a gear after new year! Sure that will pass soon.

I've been fortunate with the anxiety this time around. It used to be so bad fot me when I was heavy drinking. I was literally carried off the street into a restaurant in the middle of a city once during an anxiety attack. Had no idea what was going on. For people that have never suffered anxiety, it can be hell.

Well done for getting through Christmas. I didn't get questioned too much this year. Strangely enough my brother had quit the drink over Christmas too so that took some attention off of me.

Thanks Dee, I've always intended to contact a sleep clinic and so maybe now is the time.