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    #1

    Sleep problems

    Hi all: Back again for the umpteenth time and I gotta quit this. I am tapering down because I learned that quitting cold turkey could cause blood pressure to skyrocket, and mine is high.

    I am doing OK, but my nasty problem is returning: When I have less alcohol in my body, it is so hard for me to get to sleep. (I can't take Tylenol PM; it has opposite effect on me.) Sleep has been a problem for me my entire life, and it's one reason I developed my AL problem. (I know I don't get good sleep when I drink, but to me it's better than maddening insomnia.) This drives me nuts! Any advice? Just tough it out? I would love to hear some perspectives ..thanks.
    :boxer: Get the hell out of my house, Al, you worthless bastard!!
    Tags: None
    #2
    Hi Dexter - good to see you again. I'm back too. Wish that I had the magic answer regarding sleep. I've been having problems myself. Benadryl does seem to help somewhat. Have you tried that? I do have an RX for Lorazepam but I don't want to take that every night so I'm looking into other things. A friend mentioned Melatonin so I think I'm going to get some this weekend. Also, calming meditation before bed but I'm not very good at that. Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you. If I come up with any ideas, I'll be sure to let you know!
    "Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.".....Carol Burnett
    ..........
    AF - 7-27-15

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      #3
      Hi Dexter. I am not a good sleeper either but when i first gave up al, i napped when i was tired or else i would get overtired. I also took valium the first few days to calm me down. I still only get 5 to 6 hours sleep but at least it is good sleep, not like when i drank. i mainly plug the earphones into the laptop and watch a movie till i drop off. Meditation drives me nuts with the droning bloody voices but it does help occasionally.
      AF free 1st December 2013 - 1st December 2022 - 9 years of freedom

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        #4
        Hi Dexter... I can say restful sleep has always been a problem for me & the root of it is anxiety for me.
        When I first stopped drinking I took supplements to calm me throughout the day.
        I love Calm Forte, still take one at night. L Glut helps to calm the nerves too & with cravings.
        Thee days I do yoga every morning (often at bedtime too) & meditate.
        I listen to guided sleep meditations on youtube to fall asleep.
        Kind of a full time job to figure this out, so be patient and get some calm forte, but in the beginning I took it 4x a day....
        (AF since 17 May 2014) 2 years 5 months sober

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          #5
          Hi Dex. I found that my insomnia sorted itself out after about 3-4 AF weeks. During that time, I napped whenever I could, just like Ava did. The naps were very heavy and deep. Sometimes, I would wake up not knowing what time of day it was. Now, I sleep deeply at night and wake naturally when the sun comes up feeling rested almost every day. You can do this!

          Tips:

          Try the self-hypnosis method of lying on your back, eyes closed, and taking 5 really deep, slow breaths that push your tummy/ribs out when you inhale and collapse your abdomen when you exhale. Then, starting with your toes and still breathing deeply, concentrate on relaxing each part of your body, working your way slowly up to your head. If it helps, imagine each part getting super-heavy, made of stone, and pressing down into the mattress. Wandering thoughts while you're doing this are OK, but calmly bring your attention back to the relaxation sequence.

          Upon waking in the morning, expose yourself to bright, natural light for 10 mins or so. Also, avoid looking at a TV or computer screen 15-30 mins. before bed, and avoid exercising less than 2-3 hours before bed. No caffeine whatsoever after 2-3 pm. These practices help maintain your circadian rhythms.

          If you find that you just can't sleep after 20 minutes, get up and do something calm for a bit (read, knit, do a puzzle, etc.) then try again in a little while. You don't want to turn your sleep haven into a battle zone.

          Try playing a movie in your head that you know by heart -- but not Jaws or Night of the Living Dead.

          Good luck!
          "If you fell down yesterday, get up today." -- H.G. Wells

          Comment

            #6
            In addition to what everyone else has said, sometimes when I can't sleep because my thoughts are racing I put on an audiobook. I have the Audible app on my Ipod so I can set a sleep timer for how long it stays on, and turn off the screen so there's no light. I also only do that with stories I already know well and that have fairly soothing narrators. Sometimes that's just enough to distract me from my thoughts, but not interesting enough to keep me awake.

            I've also found that chamomile or "Sleepytime" tea with a little bit of milk does actually relax me before bed.

            Good luck! My sleep patterns also settled out a lot once I had completely stopped drinking for a few months or so, so that definitely helped me.
            I am stubborn as a pig - but changing what I'm being stubborn about!

            Cigarette Free On: 9/23/2014
            AF on: 8/12/2014

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              #7
              I use 5 htp and melatonin, btw I love the avatar
              I have too much shit to do today and tomorrow to drink:sohappy:

              I'm taking care of the "tomorrow me":thumbsup:
              Drinkin won't help a damn thing! Will only make me sick for DAYS and that ugly, spacey dumb feeling-no thanks!

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                #8
                Yes - I forgot to mention. Like LavBlue, I listen to an audiobook every night too. I can't sleep without that & my headphones. And milk does help sometimes.
                "Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.".....Carol Burnett
                ..........
                AF - 7-27-15

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                  #9
                  Thank you all SO much. (I am not used to new format ) I remember some of you and I have missed this place so!!!!
                  :boxer: Get the hell out of my house, Al, you worthless bastard!!

                  Comment

                    #10
                    5htp worked wonders for me, it helped to re-set my sleep patterns. I was waking up at 3am every night. 5htp helped me sleep through the night. Also I drank Valerian tea, its an acquired taste, but I quite like it now. And if my mind was whirring a couple of Valerian sleeping tablets.

                    A hypno cd always helps to calm my mind or a cd of a good thunderstorm sends me right off!

                    About 3-4 weeks after I stopped drinking my sleep settled down and now I sleep wonderfully.

                    Hope this helps.
                    I can not alter the direction of the wind,

                    But I can change the direction of my sail.


                    AF since 01/05/2014

                    100 days 07/08/2014

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                      #11
                      yes, tea.. tea.. tea... lots of herbal teas! I love the Yogi Teas... Calm is what I am still drinking all the time. Somehow it helps and doesn't put me to sleep during the day.
                      (AF since 17 May 2014) 2 years 5 months sober

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