How do you sleep?

I’m nearly two weeks sober and the insomnia is just horrible. I’ve been doing so many crafts it’s unbelievable and I just spent the last 2 hours sawing wood… just at the idea that I might get to go to sleep tonight. I do try other things before I go to bed as well like a nice warm bath maybe some light tea,meditate, read my recovery workbook…

I’m just so tired of being tired but can’t sleep. What do you all do to help you go to sleep? I would prefer not to take Herbal supplement unless there in a non capsel form… I’m more looking towards an activity to help me go to sleep

3 Likes

Baths. Hot or cool, depending on the surrounding temperature.

Lie down and listen to one of the Insight Timer meditations on sleep:
https://insighttimer.com/meditation-topics/sleep

It’s tricky in early sobriety especially - our “sleep hygiene” is so off from years of using. Experiment with new patterns to help.

3 Likes

If you search “sleep” in the magnifying glass at top there are lots of good threads about this. Here’s a nice one - lots of tips from wise souls here:

1 Like

don’t eat anything sugary late at night and stop looking at your phone or computer screen a good couple of hours before. Basically the total opposite to me :grin:

3 Likes

One nice piece of advice I got is, if you can’t get to sleep in about 20-30 mins, get up and take a walk. Your mind doesn’t want to sleep anyway, so just take a walk and let your mind wander. Or do a walking meditation:
https://insighttimer.com/meditation-topics/walkingmeditation/browse/guided

Then try again after your walk.

The trick is this: keep your alarm at the same time. The alarm you can control. Get up, get your day going. You’ll likely be more tired the following night. Gradually you’ll set up a working pattern.

2 Likes

I’ve heard this before. But if I can’t sleep, sometimes I play bingo on my phone and the next thing I know I can’t keep my eyes open.

@Hi-dee in the beginning you might want to try melatonin or something. It can last for a little while, but before you know it, you’ll be sleeping like a baby. Sadly, I’ve had many runs at sobriety. The longest it has taken me is about three weeks. Usually it lasts about two or three weeks.

2 Likes

That’s bingo for ya .

1 Like

I have the same problem. So I started a routine… I get in bed around 830. Watch one show. I turn off the tv, take an ultra melatonin pill(schiffs) and read a bit. Usually 930 or 10 I turn on my meditation app which lasts around 10 minutes. I drift in and out. Then I usually can fall asleep. 7 days sober. It has helped me keeping it the same

1 Like

I just put on either the first lord of the rings movie or any of the supermans and i am out lol but seriously, I too am having trouble getting to sleep. Im up til 3am get up at like 9am on a non work day and im still going to bed at like 3. Drinking didnt help so that wasnt an excuse. If anything I was up longer and had even more restless sleep. Now that I’m 12 days in my body has just gotten used to going to bed late and waking up early. I guess what I’m saying is, maybe sleeping isn’t the problem. You’ll naturally fall asleep, but its how you wake yourself up the next day.

1 Like

100% in the same situation. I started a bed time routine. Bath, a bit of tv then I write out
A to do list / goals for the next day.
Turn the tv off and read. Insight timer has been amazing. I also list 10
Things that I was grateful for or that went well that day. It usually calms my mind a bit.
Been using it for a while ! Hoping the sleepy sand man visits you tonight.

@Matt. I sleep great. This week I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I took another one. They don’t leave you drousy at all!

1 Like

I started sleeping so great shortly after quitting. Booze would make me wake up too early before my alarm goes off, probably due to the alcohol wearing off. Tonight I’m up late because I’m so rested and I don’t have to wake up early for work!

I posted before. I use ultra melatonin by schiffs. It’s a godsend! It keeps me asleep. If I happen to wake up with difficulty going back, I can take another and not be drowsy in the morning. Meditation apps is what I use to get relaxed!!

1 Like