i’ll start off by saying, i’ve always had issues with insomnia, so it’s not like this is something completely new to me. i’ve tried tons of different prescriptions, meditation, teas, melatonin, you name it. nothing has really ever helped, but i could handle it for the most part. but since i’ve stopped drinking… holy shit, my sleep hasn’t been this bad in a LONG time. i’m 13 days sober today and am going days at a time without sleeping. not even a couple of minutes of rest. as i said earlier, i’ve tried so many sleeping meds in the past and none of them really worked for me. my doctor prescribed me ambien today, but if i’m being honest, i’m kind of scared to take it. i’ve heard some horror stories about what people do when they take it. i’m anxious about it, but i also haven’t slept in 3 days and just want some fucking sleep. does anyone have any experience with ambien? i’m scared i’m going to lose my mind if i go another night without sleep
Sorry Pippin, I haven’t been on Ambien before. I feel really sorry for you being unable to sleep, I understand to a point. My youngest won’t let me sleep, and my husband is a bad snorer 
Congratulations on your 13 days AF though, that is really something 
whatever you do, don’t feel like alcohol will fix this problem, because it doesn’t. I’m sure you know that you don’t get good, restorative sleep after drinking. It’s more like a coma. You will feel like trash the next day and feeling guilt-ridden. It’s really not worth re-starting your sobriety for.
I say give the Ambien a try. If even only to see if it gives you a little rest. I hope you feel better soon sweetheart 
Bad sleep is a huge hurdle in early sobriety, so I feel for you. I was a bedtime drinker so I could just sleep right away (although it was bad quality sleep and my body felt awful most of the night, not to mention hungover in the morning). So in sobriety I’ve basically had to learn how to get to sleep on my own.
I’d give three tips, in case they might help. 1 is what the nurse told you: try no to think about the fact that your not getting to sleep. You’re in bed and resting your body, and that counts for something already. By removing the anxiety about sleep, and trying to think of other, really boring things, you just might drift off. 2 is to put your mind on these boring, mindless thoughts and lists. I usually try the ABC method, where I think of two categories of things and start going down the alphabet trying to name one thing in each category. I’m bilingual, so my categories are usually Spanish-English (so, for instance, names of marine animals in Sp and En, going down the alphabet). I rarely make it to the Ms and Ls. And 3, if you’re unwilling to take strong medication for it (and I get it, I’ve never wanted to do it either), might you try a plant-based sleep supplement? We have double sided valerian+other plant pills here, where one side releases quicker to help you “catch” sleep, and the other side is slow-release to help you stay asleep.
Hope some of this helps. And I hope you get a good night’s sleep soon.
I also like to count backwards from 100 in the languages I know so English, French and Scots Gaelic. I rarely get below 70.
In my early days, i had to take an absolute mad amount of melatonin. To the tune of 550mg a night
I dont recommend doing this.
Hi Pippin,
I would say keep on going, 13 days is very early to have settled sleep.
I’ve had problems sleeping for years, in fact I used to drink so I would zonk out. It helped til about 3 or 4am and I’d be awake for the day. I blamed my partner’s snoring for waking me up but I know now that that’s what happens when you drink.
When I first stopped drinking it took a while to get to sleep, around 3 or 4 weeks probably.
But now I can say that good sleep is by far the best best thing about not drinking, I wish I’d done it years ago.
Keep going.
I used to listen to a story on Insight Timer, there’s loads. Or a running river.
I’m hopeful it will improve for you if you give it time 
I agree with so much of what has been said already. Early sobriety sleep is all over the place. Our body and mind is healing. It is a struggle for sure and can be more so for those of us who identify as insomniacs (I did for decades).
I do have experience with Ambien. I have experience with just about every sleep aid, technique, tip and trick out there. In the end, it took sobriety and letting of my attachment to my sleep issue to find restorative sleep. Or it could also be the low dose estrogen that is doing it. Whatever it is, after years sober, I now sleep as intended.
And I am very grateful for that. Not sleeping is rough.
Ambien can definitely help if taken as prescribed and for short periods. It is not a long term drug. It is a sedative-hypnotic, meaning you may actually have restless sleep, but you will wake rested as you will not remember if you were restless (hypnotic). The key is to take and get in bed and stay there. No phone, no chatting, wait for sleep, it will come shortly. Do not get up. Also, alcohol and Ambien do not mix, at all. I took for a long time, which is not recommended. If used as prescribed it can assist, it can also be abused.
That said, for me, after all the sleep hygiene tips and tricks, all the potions and pills…I needed to get clear that my attachment to not sleeping was causing me suffering. It took me a long time to get that (as was my nature). Going to bed at a set time, using a sleep mask and dark curtains, journaling b4 bed and a warm shower. These serve me well. As does not looking for a magic pill. I always want a magic pill. Being okay with not always sleeping has been important for me. It sucks not sleeping, especially when you have to get up for work and responsibilities. Finding ways to relax our minds…Insight Timer meditations is a great one for me…that can help a lot.
Sorry for the ramble. Idk if any of this is relevant for you. Just wanted to share my experience. Wishing you some restful sleep. 
Im sorry you are goung through this Pippin…it does take time for the body to heal and get to a proper sleep pattern. The healing process is different for everyone. Dont lose heart. Keep living your sober life and do lie down to rest (even if you cant sleep). Its now 4+ months for me and i do find that i have more days of sleep than before. I do apply lavender oil on pillow, take melatonin and did even try the calm app to help with sleep. I also take magnesium at night which helps with sleep. All of these worked to some degree but were not consistent.
Just know that drinking will not help the situation any and will only rewind the progress youve already made. Get some rest my friend and hopefully sleep will follow.
i am definitely guilty of using my phone too late. for me it’s always been used as a distraction after i’ve laid in bed for what feels like ages - just sitting there with my own thoughts and that can be agonizing. that’s definitely something i need to work on.
i’m also guilty of letting the anxiety of not being able to sleep control me. i’m naturally very anxious and it doesn’t help to add onto that.
thank you for the advice!
thank you yes, definitely steering clear of the alcohol, it’s not worth it. i think i’m gonna try the ambien tonight and see if that helps. even if it’s only a few hours, i will be ECSTATIC
i’ve actually never tried the ABC method! i’ll have to give that a go. it’s also good to hear you say that it’s still rest just to be lying in bed, because i do tend to take the pessimistic view of “i’m not sleeping, so i’m not getting rest” and anything is better than nothing.
i also haven’t looked into any plant-based sleep supplements, so i’ll have to definitely check that out as well.
thank you for the great suggestions
i’ll have to try this! thank you!
i actually remember reading somewhere that taking too much melatonin can give it the opposite affect of its intended use and keep you up even longer! i’ve tried melatonin in the past, and maybe it’s something i’ll give a shot again at some point, but i definitely think i need something a little more right now
i’m happy to hear your sleep has gotten better! i’ve struggled with sleep my entire life and have always been pretty negative about it, so it’s nice to hear that i may be able to eventually get some good rest. i used to do the same. well, i was drinking all day every day, but it definitely helped put me out. just gotta wait it out and fingers crossed it’ll level out soon. not trying to go back to the restless sleep and hangovers
don’t ever apologize for a “ramble” because it’s nice to know that someone can relate and hear their experience. i’m so happy to hear, that especially someone who identified as an insomniac, is now resting well. i definitely have an unhealthy attachment to not being able to sleep and reading these responses has made me realize how important it is for me to let that go. i’ve always known that the anxiety from not being able to sleep has made it more difficult for me to sleep, but i never looked at it as an attachment that i had. i think that’s helpful to recognize, because now i can work on the overall attachment, instead of just thinking of it as anxiety.
the ambien is definitely a temporary thing. my doctor has prescribed it just while i’m adjusting and i’ll only be taking it every couple of days if i REALLY need sleep. i think i may even half the pill to try that first. thank you for all of the tips on ambien, i’ll definitely follow them.
getting on a better schedule is something i’m working on too. i really thrive with a routine, but i have a hard time setting it and then actually following it, especially at night.
thank you so much for all of your insight
I started overindulging with coffee in early sobriety. And I drank coke with lunch and dinner. I told my doctor sleep was a problem, and he assured me caffeine past 3pm was no good for sleep. I quit drinking pop, because I wont give up my coffee, now my sleep is better. Idk just wanted to say caffeine intake by and large was my problem with sleeping well. Hope you get some rest 
i also take magnesium, but i take it in the morning with the rest of my meds. maybe i’ll have to try taking it before bed! the lavender may be a great help too. thank you
i love the public transport idea. unfortunately, where i’m at there isn’t really any public transit around me. i may have to force my boyfriend to drive me around for a little while lol. i do a lot of stretching but i won’t lie, i struggle with the motivation to exercise. i know it’ll help but man… this body is tired lol. thank you for the tips
i need to be better about this for sure! i drink way too much caffeine. i know it contributes to the lack of sleep, but it also helps the headaches that i always have (which is partially caused by the caffeine lol) i think it would be good for me to make a conscious effort to cut back. thanks!
Like reading my autobiography! I haven’t slept through the night (without being drunk) in almost 30 years. Ok, maybe a few nights. But yeah, you could say I struggle with sleep. I am 66 days into THIS stretch of sobriety, but other stretches lasted longer and my sleep didn’t really improve. Sorry to say it may not be (only) alcohol related.
I have not used Ambien because it scared me too. My friend is a true believer in Ambien and does break it in half with success. But I have been using Sonata which is in the Ambien family. It is supposed to, and has generally for me, last 4 hours. May not be for you if you struggle falling asleep. I use it if I can’t get back to sleep middle of the night. My falling asleep has been better with all the suggestions above - routine, melatonin, reading, white noise, sleepy time tea, no caffeine. Trazedone has recently been suggested to me. Going to talk with my doc soon. It is an antidepressant that works to calm the anxiousness about sleeping.
If nothing else, you are not alone in this. I hope you find some relief, and let’s keep on keeping on!!