Sleeping

[BUNNY]

Hi Everyone!

I am 3 weeks sober, and I was wondering when I can expect my sleep patterns to improve. I was always a bad sleeper (due to the booze of course) and I was hoping by now to be able to sleep through the night. I still wake up about 2 hours after I fall asleep and have a real tough time going back to sleep. I am taking 5 HTP, melatonin and Gaba but I don't think it is helping much. Any suggestions?
Thanks and have a great AF day!
Bunny

[Fantasy Haircut]

Sleeping

Hi Bunny I slept badly for the first two weeks or so.
Like you I'm not a brilliant sleeper. When I was drinking I often got a massive crash in the early hours and that was me up. Then I sat and contemplated my life and felt guilty about where everything was going wrong.
After the first two weeks or so AF I started getting a decent 6 or 7 hours of 'real' sleep this went on for a couple of weeks.
And now, well, last night i got almsot 12 hours in. And it really was like how a baby would sleep. This is too much.
I think this is just your body doing what it needs to get better. I'm certain that your sleep patterns will improve, as I know mine will.

[beauty91254]

Sleeping

Thought it was just me.....

I have cut back dramatically in the last week, from drinking tons of vodka to only having 4 64 calorie Miller lite beers and then dinner and then I am too full to drink any more. But I am NOT sleeping either. I thought it was just me. So listening to you guys, I have a while more to deal with this. I am not taking any prescriptions to help stop drinking. I do take an antidepressant already and an now taking a multi vitamin but that is it. It helps that I have stopped buying vodka and wine and we have 40 inches of snow so I surely cannot go out and get anything so this is good. I feel ok about it. I know I can have that beer and that is good. Also I think drinking that rather than going cold turkey is helping me NOT to have severe withdrawal symptoms. And I am much nicer at night also. I can't believe I had become that person that I was, so mean every night, yelling, saying I wish I was dead, etc. I can't believe that was me.

[peacenik]

Sleeping

bunny, i find that taking melatonin helps me fall asleep, but that i wake up midway through my sleep and have a hard time getting back to sleep. maybe you are taking to many sleep aids?

[eight days a week]

Sleeping

I'm sorry to say that it took me a couple of months of abstinence to start sleeping better. Alcohol is such a powerful influence on the working of the brain that it takes months and months to recover (perhaps six plus) properly, though hopefully the sleep part of that will come much sooner, and very much sooner for you than it did for me.

Supplements can help, some good suggestions so far!

[JackieClaire]

Sleeping

Hi BUNNY,

My Dr. made a very good point the last time I saw him. He pointed out that because of all the years I've abused my body with alcohol I can't expect my body to return to normal overnight,it could take months and months.

If you think about it most of us have had no real sleep for years.

Drink.........pass out.......drink........pass out......

So here I am over 7 months later tired but sober and happy

J x

:l

[Marshy]

Sleeping

I agree with Eight Days and JackieClaire - it takes a while for our brains and bodies to heal and adjust.

I used to lie there, wide awake, and think "oh well, I might be tired in the morning but at least I won't be hungover". But at other times it drove me nuts!

Have you tried the warm milk and warm bath route?

[clare]

Sleeping

it gets better bunny,keep going forward

[BUNNY]

Sleeping

Thanks everyone, I guess I just have to be patient.
Peacenik, you might have a point, maybe I am taking too much stuff, will try to go cold turkey on that also.
A nice warm glass of milk, mmmm, haven't had that since I was a kid, think I'll try that tonight!

One way or another, there's nothing like getting up in the morning with a clear head, sleep or not sleep.

[JimBeam911]

Sleeping

After 3 weeks I would have assumed that your sleep would have improved, so I'm not sure what to tell you. My sleep immediately improved after 5 days AF without the use of sleep aids or any major adjustments to my lifestyle. Do you get regular exercise? Do you engage in some kind of mental activity that tires the brain on a daily basis? In my own case, if I haven't been active or haven't been using my brain in some capacity requiring sustained concentration, I sometimes have difficulty falling asleep.

[mollyka]

Sleeping

I'm 5 weeks and sleep is still a bit iffy. My Dr gave me some sleeping tablets which I don't take regularly but I know they are there so I don't get into a panic if I'm lying awake at 2 A.M I occasionally (about twice a week ) take a half one, depends what age you are, if you are very young I wouldn't go that route, I am in my early 50's. The main thing I do that really helps is I don't go to bed till I am really feeling tired, sometimes it can be 12.30 or 1A.M. If you can get about 6 hours a night its enough for most people and it definitely will get better. JackieClare is right, all that abuse has to take a toll!!
Night night
sleep tight
don't let the bugs bite!

[Panda Eyes]

Sleeping

Hi All.

Not been around long but would like to contribute to this thread.

When I was drinking I would hit the pillow and be out like a light. My sleeping was rubbish! Toward the end of my drinking my hubby would not sleep because of my fidgeting, snoring, gnarling etc. I would then wake 3 or 4 hours after going to bed and feel awful and not get back to any decent sort of sleep after that.

I have not drank for almost 6 weeks now and my sleeping pattern is turned upside down. It takes me ages to get to sleep. I have been waking after a few hours but have been able to get back to sleep after a short period. Finding it hard to get up in the morning but it doesn't take long before I shake out and feel brilliant!!

I did take some over the counter sleeping pills not long after giving up AL. They did help me sleep but I felt hungover in the morning so these were not for me. I love being sober to not have the hangover!

As Marshy says its easier getting throught the day tired than it is getting through it hungover.

Sorry, I have rambled on a bit but sleep is something very close to my heart!!


LOL xx

[allswell]

Sleeping

It took about two and half weeks before I had anything that resembled normal sleep. When I quit drinking I also quit all forms of caffeine, processed sugars, garbage food and cut the diet down to mainly fresh fruits and vegetables. I also supplement with Gaba and now have the best sleep of my life. Day 37 and going strong!

[Fantasy Haircut]

Sleeping

I had less than three hours sleep last night.
Woke up suddenly in the small hours and that what it, couldn't get back to sleep.

That'll teach me for 'biggin' myself up with my twelve hours the night before.

It does show you how our sleep patterns can be chaos.

[BUNNY]

Sleeping

Last night wasn't great for me either, but then again, the few hours I did get were more restfull because I didn't drink. All in due time...
Must be because I forgot the hot milk! Got to try that tonight