Insomnia

jay-me

So I decided to stop drinking as an incentive to get where I want to be in my life and when I get there perhaps have a drink or perhaps not. Anyway I have been off the booze for over a month - 1 night for a staff party where I had a hangover that reminded me why I wasn't bothered with drinking. The thing is my sleep is getting progressively worse over this past month. In the past week I seem to sleep from as little as 3 hours to a maximum of 5 hours but mostly 3. In the last three days I have had less than 7 hours and while I should be exhausted I'm not.

Is this normal for people that stop drinking? Also I should point out that I would drink 2-3 times a week but I would have 6 cans easy or 10 bottles although I never needed alcohol to sleep.

Dr.MickKiller

The thing is for those 2-3 nights with alcohol you would not have gotten a proper night sleep, so for the other nights, you may have just been tired enough to sleep.

You now need to look at what stimuli is keeping you awake e.g. caffeine, diet, lack of exercise, television, boards, internet etc.

lufties

jay-me wrote: »

So I decided to stop drinking as an incentive to get where I want to be in my life and when I get there perhaps have a drink or perhaps not. Anyway I have been off the booze for over a month - 1 night for a staff party where I had a hangover that reminded me why I wasn't bothered with drinking. The thing is my sleep is getting progressively worse over this past month. In the past week I seem to sleep from as little as 3 hours to a maximum of 5 hours but mostly 3. In the last three days I have had less than 7 hours and while I should be exhausted I'm not.

Is this normal for people that stop drinking? Also I should point out that I would drink 2-3 times a week but I would have 6 cans easy or 10 bottles although I never needed alcohol to sleep.

i'm a shiftworker and suffer insomnia big time, its as bad as any hangover going to work after getting only 2-3 hours sleep the night before. I'd say try look into exercise/yoga/meditation. Also try camomille herbal tea as this will relax you. i sometimes use a sleeping pill to knock me out but this is a bad road to go down.

sawdoubters

are you looking at a tv or computer screen before you go to bed

switch off 2-3 hours before bed,

tea coffee hot choclete will keep you awake don't drink after 4pm


as will taking naps during the day


stress take a walk about an hour before you go to bed

give up smoking


go to bed same time and get up same time 7 days a week

leave all gadgets with lights like phones etc outside your room

lufties

sawdoubters wrote: »

are you looking at a tv or computer screen before you go to bed

switch off 2-3 hours before bed,

tea coffee hot choclete will keep you awake don't drink after 4pm


as will taking naps during the day


stress take a walk about an hour before you go to bed

give up smoking


go to bed same time and get up same time 7 days a week

leave all gadgets with lights like phones etc outside your room

Good advice there, i'd also suggestion keeping the mind active throughout the day, reading a book etc. I'm currently doing a menial job which requires minimal brain activity ,hence it hinders sleep.

xzanti

I find herbal teas great for helping me to sleep.. Camomile tea, Valerian Tea, or even a herbal mix.. there's one called Yogi Bedtime Tea, that has camomile, valerian root and fennel I think.. you can get it some of the health shops..

Or alternatively there are herbal tablets you can get like Calms or Valeriana.

I'd agree with all of the above also.. a good brisk walk in the evening time if you're living in a suitable location.

lilydonoghue

I use a good quality magnesium supplement - take double dose before sleep. it relaxes me enough to get some sleep. then when I have a pattern established I find I don't need them.

Sunnyisland

I went through insomnia when I stopped drinking,What I did was get up at the same time every morning no matter what time I eventually went to sleep at, a sort of routine then developed, it worked for me.