Trouble Sleeping

Question

Hey all...I'm at Day 14 today, and I was sleeping pretty well...although for the past couple nights I toss and turn and find myself wide awake... Isn't my sleep supposed to be back to normal by now? I had taken a Melatonin 10mg, thinking that would help...I think it had the opposite effect. So finally at 1am I took a benadryl and that seemed to help. I really don't want to have to take anything. Do you think it's still an after effect of the crap I put in my body? Or just my mind that won't shut down?

Rich99 · Answer

""Do you think it's still an after effect of the crap I put in my body? """
certainly could be since  drugs disrupt brain chemistry,  and drugs that depress the central nervous system eventually cause the cns to go into over-drive during withdrawals as it tries to get back to its normal state

Sarah11212 · Answer

Are you exercising at all or keeping yourself somewhat busy during the day?
As soon as I got back to keeping myself moving during the day and exercising again, I started sleeping through the night.

NeverDreamed · Answer

Thanks all... I agree I think im giving myself anxiety over not sleeping, when I can function just fine on what im getting... I just get frustrated tossing and turning..  thanks for the responses.  
Xoxo

howlingshadow · Answer

Ya, been almost 3 weeks for me and I still dont sleep, try to do something to keep my mind off it, write poetry if I can sit still, lol, dishes vaccuum sweep, etc. Wish I was still in night school this would be awesome, LOL

Sarah11212 · Answer

I didn't start getting any good quality of sleep until about day 20. 
I am on day 28 and really getting too much now but I'm not complaining!
Hang in there and give it another week and you should start seeing a difference.

kyle505 · Answer

Ditto to all of the above...I'm in day 38; I've been sleeping ok for the past week or so, then ended up tossing and turning last night...Go figure.  You should start noticing an improvement from this point out, however slight. But, what I've found is that as my time clean progressed I was able to handle the lack of sleep better. Hang in there.

kk1303 · Answer

I didn't start getting "normal" sleep until around day 21.

dominosarah · Answer

Try not to take to many different sleep aids during this time.  It confuses our brain.  When you are tossing and turning just get up as usually we get frustrated.  Sit in the dark, turn on some music or if you like to read do that.  Just know that this isnt permanent.  Your sleep will return.

Congrats on your clean time!

MikeInFrance · Answer

Hi...sleep was/is my single biggest issue and I am on my 26th day now. It gets better with time but i can't say that it gets better each day like all the other wd symptoms did.  Last night, for example, was my best night only awake for 2 hours or so throughout by the night before wasaybe only 2 hours sleep. But still a huge improvement for me cuz in the first 2 weeks Iay have gotten 5 hours of sleep in total. I should have taken people's advice from the beginning and that was to stay active even though you may feel exhausted at times. Your heart doesn't need to beat so fast through fitness to accomplish this....u just need to stay active and don't sit or lay still for any prolonged periods throughout the day. Bush busy busy....and I sincerely wish you a good night tonight....I know firsthand how lack of sleep affects a person. I  am sure it never would have been possible for me to stay awake as long as I did without this drug problem and that's exactly what makes me equally sure that my brain to body to brain coordination was off mark big time for sure and that in itself was enough to show me what a serious negative effect this can have on us: great job on 14 days .... I was ecstatic when I hit 2 weeks ...now the days and weeks really fly by!

lulu747 · Answer

Never...
2 WEEKS!   Awesome work.  The sleep is always the last piece to fall into place when coming off opiates.  It takes time and patience...Like everything else(: 
 Keep up with the melatonin.  I was told by a detox doc that it must be taken when the sun goes down in order to be effective in regulating your body's sleep/wake schedule.  
Most importantly-stressing about not sleeping only compounds the problem.  Trust me I learned this the hard way.  Get as much exercise as you can, avoid caffeine in the afternoon/evening and don't worry....We can function on much less sleep than we think.  Your body will give in and sleep when it needs to.  You will gain sleep time every night.  It gets better, I promise...Stay the course.

Keep working towards recovery and guard your sobriety at all costs!
I am so proud of you...
Lu

133113 · Answer

Sleep is always the last thing to resolve itself it seems for about 99% of people.  I find around the 14 day mark the sleep gets progressively better and by 21 days you are going to get solid sleep with a few nights here and there with the insomnia.  

I found that the sooner you get your body going with exercise the sooner the sleep comes.  Last time on day 14 for me, I spent all day working outside and sweating and slept great from that point on.