Sleepless in Michigan

Life in Recovery
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Good morning, everyone! Today marks 31 days of sobriety for me, and while I’m proud of this milestone, I find myself grappling with the challenges of sleepless nights. I would greatly appreciate your guidance on a few pressing concerns:

  1. How do you occupy your time during those long, restless hours when sleep eludes you?
  2. What has your experience been like in getting back to a “normal” sleep routine after overcoming similar challenges?
  3. I often feel a wave of sadness wash over me at night. What are some effective strategies to combat those feelings and find a sense of peace?
  4. Has anyone found meditation to be a helpful tool for navigating sleeplessness or emotional struggles?

Any suggestions, insights, or personal experiences you could share would mean a lot to me. Thank you!

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@MimiJ Hi Amanda, welcome back to the forum, great work on your 31 days :clap::partying_face:

I suffer from insomnia, not every night it comes and goes.
No rhyme or reason that I can work out :roll_eyes:

Insomnia is very common in early sobriety and should resolve itself eventually.
But, if you are cursed with recurrent insomnia this is what to do when it hits.

Rule No1, for me is don’t stay in bed tossing and turning trying to sleep, it doesn’t work.
I get up and do something.
I use the time to read a lot of books and it’s amazing how many I get through.

I also use the time to make scale models, do some quite cleaning around the house, do things I’ve been putting off or going for a walk.

I live in a safe area, so walking at night is not a problem, and then again I have my 2 Border Collies for company and protection if needed, never been needed yet :folded_hands:

How I try and ensure insomnia doesn’t come to call, is by being as active as I can during the day, so I’m knackered when I go to bed. Sometimes that’s not possible :slightly_frowning_face:

Herbal teas can help especially Camomile :grinning_face:, lavender and Passion Flower :+1:

Meditation does work, it calms the mind and reduces ‘washing machine head’ also called brain chatter :sleeping_face:

It also can work for the sadness waves and bring calm and peace :relieved_face:
YouTube, has a lot of guided meditation videos some upto 3hrs long, worth a Google :smiley:

Playing PC, Xbox etc games is another option, it keeps you occupied :grin:
I play WoW, and have done for ages.

I’ve tried a lot of different things some work better than others, some don’t work at all, it’s an individual thing everyone responds to things differently :thinking:

Take care, stay strong and stay sober.
:innocent:&:smiling_face_with_horns:

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Welcome back to the community Amanda and congratulations on your 1+ month of sobriety.

Sleep is a major issue in early sobriety.

A few tips that have helped me…Sober Selfies #20 (NO swimwear, shirts required, please review rules) - #1354 by JazzyS

I did try melatonin for a short period but found it didn’t work all the time and I am trying to not take any meds so going the natural route.

Early sobriety is difficult and emotional. Be kind to yourself. Seek support and practice self care. It does get easier :hugs:.

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