I am not the best advisor around, but I am going thru some of the things you mentioned in this and other posts. I am going to try and do the things I use to love doing before I started drinking 5 years ago. I don't know if you believe in God or not, but if you do, praying wont hurt. It has also helped me tremendously to talk to some of the people here and read others post. Exercising helps me with more energy. This is all I know for now. I am sure you will soon be ambushed with lots of great advise! :) I hope you feel better soon

At the end and worst of my addiction I suffered from insomnia. Hence the vicious circle of drinking to finally sleep after 4 days of no sleep. The thing that helped me to finally break the cycle was to stop drinking. Of course your head is racing with everything going on and nothing to numb it. I found that fighting not sleeping only made it worse so I would get up and do something other than watch tv. In time I was finally tired enough to sleep and after a while I can sleep like a baby. Recently with some changes going on I found that my head was racing again so I made sure I went out and did something constructive each evening, like a meeting and that helped me be at ease.

When I first came into recovery I was lucky to have two hours sleep per night. I suffered panic attacks ,sweats, aches through my neck and back ,electric fleas (Itching over my body mainly my arms.}

I had been drinking alcoholicly for over 20 years at that time.But alcohol stopped working for me years before and no matter how much I drank and I drank enough to put a bull elephant to sleep I would still come to through the night and have these panic attacks where i would think if I closed my eye's I would die. Thank God those days are in my past.

Alcohol can have a adverse affect on different people when we stop drinking it, for me it was all the above for others some suffer sieges so I think it is important to talk to a GP preferably one who knows a little about alcoholism.Though we are all different.

What happened with me someone told me before I try to sleep or when I wake through the night with my head travelling faster than the speed of sound and those things going through my head was to change the channel .

To hop out of bed go to the bathroom or just walk to the kitchen and back, to read something which was also hard for me at the time ,as campstyles said to pray in stead of counting sheep talk to the Shepard.

I was also given an AA tape to listen to which helped me the most .Meditation tapes may help in the same way. I listened to the tape the first night and thought that night I still only had two hours sleep it felt like four hours.

It wasn't long before I had no trouble sleeping and if I woke I would just roll to one side and go straight back to sleep.So it was just a phase with me.

This is only how it was with me. If you have read this far hopefully your asleep by now.lol

God Bless...

Lionel

I really identified with Lionel's experience as mine was similar, it took some weeks to settle down after stopping drinking. It's not surprising really as our bodies have a big readjustment to make after being so badly poisoned.

Today I have to be careful not to over-sleep - I need two alarm clocks - one by my bed and one in the hall to make sure I do wake up properly.

Normally drop off about 7 .00 am.. Up about 10.00 am .. I'm like you .. I would handle it fir a week, then self medicate with alcohol to sleep

... But still come back to 2 hours sober sleep is better than 12 drunk .. I awake with an excrusiating head ache, BUT it lasts about 15 minutes ..Somewhat better than a day of a fuzzy headache .. I save a fortune on paracetamol too.. Hang in there Endo.

Hi Endo, I can relate to Lionel too. Had a lot of sleep problems which I learned are common in early sobriety. There's a lot of psychological and physiological changes going on inside of you and waking in times of stress is a normal reaction in a body returning to a healthy state.

Sleep will return. I found hot chocolate before bed, a warm bath before, something to read to take my mind off the day, and also guided meditation cds helped. I exercised late in the afternoon too, started out walking. It's all a part of the change process, and change is good mate. :}

in my exp, meditation has helped me when i couldnt sleep it helped me wind down.. and to also not have too much caffeine as it is a stimulant..

Sleep will return. The physical part takes a few days or so. The "getting things our of my mind" takes a bit longer. But not to worry.There are steps you can take for that. Twelve of them to be exact. By the grace of God and Alcoholic Anonymous, I'll sleep well tonight...
Hugs,
Dennis

I struggle with insomnia when not drinking nor taking any meds (like now, lol). For the past two days I haven't slept more than 4 hours total. Tonight I'm going to take my meds because I need sleep to function.

The other thing that works well is "Tea for Sleep" which is a natural remedy. Also Benedrayl, over the counter for allergies is also very good. Non addictive, take two with the tea...it really works well. I was out of both the past two nights. There are other natural supplements for sleep but these two work best for me without any weird stuff the next day.

It sounds like a phase but make sure you get your blood work done. Glucose being a big one. This can be a minimal detox symptom but it's also a symptom for other health problems. This aside. Try Magnesium and Fish Oils. The combination is great for the nervous system and also good for cardiovascular health and insulin. However, a good checkup is in order. You want all your blood levels tested. When you're clear start working out: that may just mean taking a good long walk or whatever is essential but moving can decease some symptoms. Just be sure you're safe. Also, Melatonin is another thing you can use that isn't habit forming and also 5-HTP. Again, make sure your blood work and physical are good. That's important. We're not doctors. Best to you.

Chamomile tea and lavender are also go for relaxation. Guided meditation CD's by Pema Chodron are magic. I'm a yoga fan but yogic breathing helps calm the body. I can PM you about that if you like. Catnip tea (yep, regular catnip just steeped and strained will help) and that is perfectly safe. A nice hot bath with relaxing elements like lavender is great. Get up and get away from the bed if you really just can't fall asleep. Read something and don't get on the computer. The light from the computer activates receptors in the brain which keep you awake (yes, that means all of us). I've had horrible insomnia most of my life so many of these things I've tried and they've worked. Breathe! Deep and full without forcing. Even concentrating on that alone can help you sleep. Deep peace to you

This is a helpful article about sleep hygiene, these things really work and it might be a good time to get into a routine. I heard on TV that certainly in the UK adults do not get the full 8 hours sleep that your body requires.

Here's the link where the article came from:

http://www.umm.edu/sleep/sleep_hyg.htm


* Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. Do not be one of those people who allows bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body "gets used" to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.

* Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a "sleepy time." Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30-45 minutes and can sleep well at night.

* Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in your blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.

* Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate, so be careful.

* Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep.

* Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.

Your Sleeping Environment

* Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.

* Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.

* Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.

* Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don't use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body "know" that the bed is associated with sleeping.

Getting Ready For Bed

* Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.

* Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.

* Don't take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a "worry period" during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.

* Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.

* Get into your favorite sleeping position. If you don't fall asleep within 15-30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.

Getting Up in the Middle of the Night

Most people wake up one or two times a night for various reasons. If you find that you get up in the middle of night and cannot get back to sleep within 15-20 minutes, then do not remain in the bed "trying hard" to sleep. Get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity, or take a bath. You will generally find that you can get back to sleep 20 minutes or so later. Do not perform challenging or engaging activity such as office work, housework, etc. Do not watch television.
A Word About Television

Many people fall asleep with the television on in their room. Watching television before bedtime is often a bad idea. Television is a very engaging medium that tends to keep people up. We generally recommend that the television not be in the bedroom. At the appropriate bedtime, the TV should be turned off and the patient should go to bed. Some people find that the radio helps them go to sleep. Since radio is a less engaging medium than TV, this is probably a good idea.
Other Factors

* Several physical factors are known to upset sleep. These include arthritis, acid reflux with heartburn, menstruation, headaches and hot flashes.

* Psychological and mental health problems like depression, anxiety and stress are often associated with sleeping difficulty. In many cases, difficulty staying asleep may be the only presenting sign of depression. A physician should be consulted about these issues to help determine the problem and the best treatment.

* Many medications can cause sleeplessness as a side effect. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if medications you are taking can lead to sleeplessness.

* To help overall improvement in sleep patterns, your doctor may prescribe sleep medications for short-term relief of a sleep problem. The decision to take sleeping aids is a medical one to be made in the context of your overall health picture.

* Always follow the advice of your physician and other healthcare professionals. The goal is to rediscover how to sleep naturally.