Insomnia and Boozing

Life Health & Fitness
#1

I’ve been drinking a lot more than I used to. Maybe 4 nights a week on average. Just hanging out with friends at home but we usually end up a bit shit faced.

This has been going on for a few months now. When I take a few days off i am unable to sleep. Is this normal? I got some sleeping pills but when I take them I only sleep for a couple of hours.

This might seem silly and the logical solution is to dry myself out and the problem will probably go away. But how long will it take till i am able to get a good nights sleep again?

#2

Four nights a week shitfaced isn’t good for your brain or your liver. Can you cut that down to just one? Or none? I’d try to stop the sleeping pills, too. You don’t get good quality sleep that way.

I don’t know how long it will take, but I think it’s important to try. You’ll save a lot of money too. :wink:

#3

That’s a very fucked up combo. The sleeping pills alone will fuck your ability to drop off to sleep unaided.

Stop them first and ease your drinking.

HG

#4

Yep, stay away from the sleeping pills.

One possible solution would be to spread your drinking out. Do what i do; drink every night. That doesn’t mean you need to get wrecked - on quiet nights just have a few relaxing brews before hitting the sack. Good luck.

#5

I’m drinking more and more. But I’m happier than I used to be. Weird, hey?

#6

Don’t buy enough to get shitfaced.

I was drinking pretty much every day before I quit, enough to get a good buzz on, but rarely enough to be drunk.

I won’t tell you you may have a problem, but you may. Don’t mix ANY pills with alkyhole.

#7

Are you smoking also? Smoking really is a sleep killer. If you smoke, try to not do it 2 hrs before bed.

#8

I find that even a little alcohol now screws up my ability to sleep, so I used jdsmith as inspiration and quit drinking. Thanks jd.

Depending on how long you’ve been hitting it hard, you may face some health risks by going cold turkey - DTs, shakes, grand-mal seizures, death. In which case, the sleeping pills may bring you down slowly, but you MUST taper the dose of sleeping pills pretty quickly, or you’ll just swap one addiction for another. Google “alcohol withdrawal” to get an idea as to whether you may be at risk - and if you are at risk or in doubt, speak to a doctor.

As for how long it’ll take until you get a good nights sleep, well that’ll depend on how long you’ve been drinking. The longer you’ve been sleeping with the aid of alcohol, the longer it’ll take to get a good nights sleep.

FWIW, I’m sleeping great these days. My alcohol consumption before ranged from 3-4 beers on a normal night up to 6 or so on a big night. Not a big drinker by any means, but time and age do take their toll. And I’m only 33. Aiya.

#9

That’s actually very good advice! Keep no alcohol in the house, and buy only a can or so of beer on your way home. Then don’t have it until near bedtime. You’re unlikely to head out for more, at that point. :wink:

#10

What else are you supposed to do in insomnia? Everyone’s asleep, yet the noises coming from the sky and the trees and the air are deafening. Your body is painfully tired, and going out isn’t a good idea because your vision isn’t so good; lines bend, your sense of perspective isn’t quite right. Cars seem closer or further away than they really are. You’re clumsy enough through the daytime.

Your mind is gone; you can’t concentrate enough to read or watch TV. Music doesn’t help because there is too much noise already so you can’t hear everything if you mask it. Talking is good, but you’re no raconteur on four hours a night, so what’s in it for anyone else?

You might as well get pissed. It won’t help but at least you’ll have something to do.