I really want to quit drinking but ....

I really want to quit drinking but if I don't drink in the evening before bed, I don't sleep. Without alcohol, I would sink into a very weak sleep around 3 in the morning.

This is both because I have been a drinker for over 30 years, and because my career was very stressful which has left me, now retired, with a nervous system that is not exactly mellow.

Am I the only old dude that can't sleep without booze? How to escape from this dependency? Do you have any practical advice not involving Jesus?

droid56
I really want to quit drinking but if I don't drink in the evening before bed, I don't sleep. Without alcohol, I would sink into a very weak sleep around 3 in the morning.

This is both because I have been a drinker for over 30 years, and because my career was very stressful which has left me, now retired, with a nervous system that is not exactly mellow.

Am I the only old dude that can't sleep without booze? How to escape from this dependency? Do you have any practical advice not involving Jesus?

No. No, none not involving Jesus.

Oh, wait! I do have something. I drank for many years. Heavily. One day I just gave it up. Absolutely true story. Jesus wasn't even there—or, more accurately, if he was I didn't see him.

Other than that, I got nothing....

droid56
I really want to quit drinking but if I don't drink in the evening before bed, I don't sleep. Without alcohol, I would sink into a very weak sleep around 3 in the morning.

This is both because I have been a drinker for over 30 years, and because my career was very stressful which has left me, now retired, with a nervous system that is not exactly mellow.

Am I the only old dude that can't sleep without booze? How to escape from this dependency? Do you have any practical advice not involving Jesus?

It's one of the things that kept me from stopping drinking for many more years of suffering then was necessary.

To stop drinking, if you drink like I did, you have to want to stop more then you want to sleep. It took quite a while, I'm being honest, but now 4 years in, I sleep like a baby most, not all, nights. Even on sleepless nights, I still have energy the next day.

It takes some time - many people I know after a week or two could sleep again and I know some that still have regular trouble with it (regular daily - weekends too routine helps a ton too - but one thing at a time) but prefer the freedom from alcohol more then lack of sleep.

The sleep you are getting isn't good and restful sleep anyway. Sober, less sleep will do more for you and your health.

Truthfully, you can do it. I used to use the can't sleep excuse too. It was actually true. What I realized after many nights of restless sleep, and late night's, it actually gets better. I understand you do go to sleep easier, but you wake up feeling like sh#@.

I did it by starting out with one night and making it two and so on. I realized even though I was going to bed later and tossing and turning, I felt better in the morning. Didn't have any spiritual help or read a book of how to do this. Just the will to want to. Believe me, when you wake up in the morning no matter how long it took you to get to bed, you will feel better.

You don't need any help. Do it yourself. I promise you if you stay committed to this and pay attention to how much better you feel, you will succeed.

reply to post by droid56


Congratulations on wanting to change your lifestyle. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system. The best natural sedative is, in my opinion, a time tested old recipe, namely a glass of milk with a little honey in it warmed in the microwave. It has the same effect as tryptophan found in turkey that makes a person want to sleep. If you awaken at 3AM, warm another glass in the microwave. Some people add a little vanilla, but I always found it ok with just the honey. I know, I know. It sounded gross to me until I tried it for myself and was surprised at its effectiveness. Do give it a try. All the best to you.

I know it sounds cliche but take up some form of exercise. It will help still your mind, get rid of some of that stress and make your body tired. The sweating will help your body get rid of all those years of drinking. You might want to consult a Dr.as that much drinking you could have problems quiting. Also you need a physical before starting any exercise. I hope you succeed and wish you all the best, have courage and go for it!

I am addicted to the tylenol pm for the same reason. It is will power more than anything and it is terribly hard to stop when you know what hell it's going to be when you can't sleep. I have had insomnia for years. It sucks in ways other tortures wish they could. People who have never experienced it can't even imagine what it's like.

You may very well have a sleep disorder. Your doctor can generally refer you to a sleep clinic where they can test you for various things which may impede your sleep. Having a real issue with insomnia will make it even harder to quit drinking if that is the only way you can sleep.

I would not push big pharma by any means, but sometimes there is a need. There are many other things you can try as well. Natural remedies and so forth. I can't really attest to those though since I am too weak myself to give up my own nightly fix. I have tried ambien and it made me do things that I didn't really remember doing which was pretty scary. I have tried others as well and they work but you would be replacing one addiction with another if you don't have a medical need.

I would only say, try biting the bullet and going cold turkey for a week at least. If after that there is still a problem, then I would see the doctor just to make sure there isn't an underlying cause for your sleepless nights.

I wish I had better advice. I wish you luck in quitting. No doubt it would be better for your health, but so is sleep.

If you try to quit anything you have to watch your diet. You start to crave things like sugar. If you want to sleep good don't eat or drink things with sugar or caffeine. Eat good food and exercise a bit.
As you are trying to fall asleep think of the positive things you did that day.

just replace the habbit by drinking really strong coffee instead. That will help you sleep like a baby

Alcohol is actually a stimulant, but can have the opposite effects on some people. Just like certain depressants can keep people up.

If you have been drinking like this for a long time, you probably need to set aside a month or two of recovery. Yes, you will have many sleepless nights, but you need your brain and body to remember what it feels like to sleep naturally again.

If you have a long term alcohol addiction it may be wise to speak to doctors to help you through it, perhaps by prescribing meds which will protect you from the possibility of seizures.

Good luck.

reply to post by droid56


well since your up anyway- read the bible for once

skydancer22
reply to post by droid56

 

well since your up anyway- read the bible for once

Not the bit about water into wine though.

The only advice i can offer is to slowly ween yourself off it. Have one less drink a night over a period of time, until you feel that you don't need a drink at all.

I learned that lesson from a neighbor of mine, he couldn't sleep for days on end after he slowed down his amber intake. But he had to because at one stage he was given three months to live if he didn't slow down, so it was a choice between no sleep or death by cirrhosis.

Now he's down to less than a six pack a day and he's sleeping well. Alcohol is just like any other drug, there will be teething problems when coming of it, but you have to be patient.

And I agree with Iamschist, exercise does wonders. After a night on the poison I can wake up feeling like Hells toilet, but after a powerwalk or a jog the toxins are sweated out and I feel much better.

spartacus699
just replace the habbit by drinking really strong coffee instead. That will help you sleep like a baby

No.. No good. It doesn't work. I should know. I am drinking coffee right now. from a soup mug. I am not lying either. 4 or 5 of these a day with 4 or 5 teaspoons of coffee in it. A day. And I still can't sleep. God damn it. I probably need more coffee. I think this coffee must be decaf. I can't even feel it any more. I really wish I could stop shaking tho, I'm so sick of spilling the damn stuff. And who is to say insomnia isn't good for you huh? huh? Yeah good for you. *twitching eye*

Sadly, the above is a true story.... even the occasionally twitching eye.. I've watched it in the mirror. You can't even see it. It's like the inside of your head does strange things when you're so tired that you are vibrating.

but I did stop drinking. And I too did use it mostly to pass out. Oh for so long... enough fluid to knock out the fat lady, or drown a small family of midgets. now since I've found the blissful boredom of sobriety, I try to keep a set routine as it's the only possible hope for me to have any sleep. I cant stay awake for days on end any more as I have things to do during the day, DURING THE DAY MY GOD!!

but it is still more often than not that I will lay there, watching the darkness creep into bewildering morning twilight with all the subtle noises it brings that tell your brain "get up now..." to which the body simply refuses due to sheer exhaustion...

but I do it. And then I have a soup mug of coffee. It starts the day all nice and sandpapery...

Oo

reply to post by boncho


It's has stimulant properties in low doses, but it is generally considered a depressant. It will put you to sleep and stop you breathing in sufficient quantities, whereas a stimulant in sufficient quantities would give you a stroke and burst your heart open like that dude in alien - or it felt like it would have, whew! that was a close year.

Initially it affects the release of neurotransmitters that have an excitatory effect on the cns, which makes people feel alert and more social. But these effects are eventually negated by the overall depressant action of alcohol on the cns.

Dopamine regulates the reward system, makes you feel groovy and over time, pathways are built around alcohol causing this rewarding effect. An alcoholic's brain basically rewires itself around the consumption of alcohol.

So when they cut down the alcohol use, their brain has an entire system of neurotransmitters out of whack, and the result is an over excited central nervous system. The end result?

They need to drink to get to sleep..

Serotonin levels also get skewed, so there is no sense of 'satisfaction' in things, while not drinking.

And if by any chance of satan the alcoholic is prescribed an ssri of any sort, may they find peace...

Boncho has good advice (but what's new?).
If you have been drinking 30 years, your body is used to that and you could seize out or worse. I have one drug that works wonders for my stress and helps me sleep as well as function like one of the "norms" most of the time. Valium. If you want to go the hollistic route, buy its primary ingredient, Valerian root extract, either in pill or liquid form. Valium also works as an anti-seizure med and is used clinically to ween people off the sauce effectively. Either way I wish you Luck and I hope you accomplish your goal.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Ouch!!!
I worry for you, Girl! Tylenol PM has aceteminophin(sp?) In it. That stuff is worse on your liver than booze. Get some generic benadryl. Compare it to the ty pm...what is getting you to sleep is the antihistamine. It is far cheaper and better for your system to go for the generic benadryl. I keep some on hand at all times.

droid56
I really want to quit drinking but...

No you don't. If you really wanted to quit, you'd quit.
I'm not trying to be a jackass. This is just my opinion.

rep ly to [u ouwww.abovetopsecret.com...]post by droid56[/url]


I used to think the same about drinking to get to sleep, and then ended up with a drink problem. I even wrote a song about it.

As no doubt others have said already, sleeping after alcohol intake actually gives you 'broken sleep'. You think that you sleep right through till the morning, when in fact you're subconsciously waking up intermittently all night.

I find exercise, a hot bath then reading in bed does the trick for me now. Although I do have Ambien for backup if needed.

Good luck man, you can change if you really want to.

Here's how my song ended, hopefully you can take something from it.

The Grim Reaper's on the thieve,
As my conscience tries to leave,
Still smell you when I breathe...

And he treats you like a guest,
Puts fire on your chest,
Then he lays you down to rest...

Everything I need, my sleep comes easy...

droid56
I really want to quit drinking but if I don't drink in the evening before bed, I don't sleep. Without alcohol, I would sink into a very weak sleep around 3 in the morning.

This is both because I have been a drinker for over 30 years, and because my career was very stressful which has left me, now retired, with a nervous system that is not exactly mellow.

Am I the only old dude that can't sleep without booze? How to escape from this dependency? Do you have any practical advice not involving Jesus?

I have found that if I quit, it takes about a week to be able to fall asleep normal. That is after it gets totally out of my system. Try that or try smoking before bed. Not cigs.
Firepiston