Do you get annoyed by insomnia? I sure do!!!
Last night I suffered greatly by insomnia, which cause a panic attack, so I thought it would be fun to write about insomnia tonight.
Insomnia is not a weird thing that happens to me. It happens almost every night and it's happened for almost a year now. "Since I've gotten sober!"
Let's dive right in to see why sobriety might cause you insomnia and how long it can actually last.
Here are just a few examples about sobriety and insomnia that I pulled from "Microsoft Bing". Very interesting, but I already knew these things which I learned while I was in in-patient rehab.
Insomnia is a common challenge for individuals in sobriety, often resulting from the body's adjustment to functioning without alcohol or drugs.
Causes of Insomnia in Sobriety
- Withdrawal Symptoms: When individuals stop using alcohol, they may experience withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia. The body has to adjust to the absence of substances that previously aided sleep.
- Psychological Factors: Anxiety, stress, and worries about maintaining sobriety can contribute to sleep disturbances. Many individuals find it difficult to calm their minds at night, leading to insomnia.
- Disrupted Sleep Patterns: Alcohol affects sleep stages, particularly REM and deep sleep. After quitting, individuals may experience irregular sleep patterns as their bodies recalibrate.
- Lifestyle Changes: Changes in daily routines, including diet and exercise, can also impact sleep quality. For instance, increased caffeine intake or lack of physical activity may exacerbate insomnia.
My real question is how long it will take for the alcohol to stop affecting my sleeping patterns. I drank on and off for about 25 years, "mostly on than off." But the damage I've done to my body is not great when it comes to my mental health. I am truly blessed by God that every blood work I've gotten from the DR. and any other labs I've had done in the past year have been very well. So, thank you Jesus. Because I know others that it didn't work out quite so well for them "health wise due to over consuming alcohol for years." I do have a colonoscopy coming up in August, "yay" yes that's a sarcastic yay LOL. I really do need to have it done because being 51 and never had it done yet. My dad and aunt had colon issues, yes, the C word! But I'm thanking God for an easy procedure with good news at the end. I've had this note from the hospital for a week now that I'm supposed to read and go over everything, I'm supposed to do to prep for it and I haven't even opened it yet ha-ha. I promised my sister that I would definitely have the procedure done.
Anyway, blah blah blah about that. You know when you turn 50, they are always wanting to poke you with something, prod something up you or squeeze the life out of other parts. LOL. true story, just wait!
When I used to drink every night, I didn't have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night because I'd just go to bed soused and nothing would even wake me up from the alcohol. I'd probably been able to sleep through a tornado. No telling where I'd wake up, "on the floor, at a friend's house, on the sofa, in bed, in my office chair passed out", but I'd sleep all night! I don't miss that life at all.
What's sad is that I LOVE sleeping in the bed so much, it's so comfy. My nephew Joshua gave me a mattress, and I just love it, then my husband bought a soft topper to go on top of the mattress because I have VERY BAD HIP PAIN ALL THE TIME. So, my bed is just lovely and now I can't sleep at all unless it's a short nap in the daytime.
I have almost completely given up soda. I bought me a Cirkul cup 20 oz, and I am so in love with it that my husband went and also bought him one. I literally drink it all day long and I'm so grateful for that cup. But anyway, I will continue to work on my sleep habits and pray that they improve day by day.
I will be sober for 1 year very soon, so I have some great things coming in the near future to tell you all.
Anyway, have a great sleep and I'll see you all in a few days!
xoxoxo, Michelle Neal