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9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 347

Dave,

Thank you for your suggestions on sleep. I will certainly look into that information. I teach, so I am at a time that my sleep patterns can be a little erratic and not have much effect. Since I have joined this site I have had several nights of not drinking and sleep was an issue. However, a day without much sleep is better than a day with a hangover anytime!

Thank you for your experienced advice. I will be drawing on it in the days to come. Thank you for what you do.

Lynn

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1009

Hi Lynn,

I've been thinking about your sleep problems and was wondering if you've tried any audio programs to help you with that. I've tried some of these programs and this guys is great:

http://www.paulmckenna.com/sleep

I find I need to be distracted when I'm trying to fall asleep so I have the tv on as some background noise and set the to to shut off after 60 minutes.

Alcohol really buggers up your sleep. Here's an interesting article on it:

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/nix-nightcap-better-sleep

I hope all is well!

All the best,

Dave

9 years ago +1 +1 / -0 347

While I know that alcohol hinders sleep and I know in order to be able to fall asleep without it will take sometime, which is where some of the problem lies. As for my drinking habits, I drink the same around friends or by myself and again, my habits come into play. I will only drink a certain number each day. I am assuming this is my way of rationalizing that I am still in control.

There is not really any big factor going on in my life to cause me not to sleep and know that once I change my habits I will be much happier for it. The challenge is changing those habits.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1009

Hi Lynn123,

Welcome to the site! I hope you had a good nights sleep :) Alcohol may hep you GET to sleep but it does;t HELP you sleep. Quite the opposite actually. It sounds like you live a very healthy lifestyle and from what you have said so far it may be helpful if you shared a bit more about your drinking habits. Do you drink excessively with friends or when you alone? When you drink, stop at a few or are you on an all-out bender?

It sounds like you live a very healthy life style and that is important to you. Are there other things going on in your life that may be contributing to your sleeplessness? It's easy to be distracted during the waking hours but problems often keep us awake she we go to bed. We build habits in a very natural way and breaking them can be a challenge but is very achievable as well.

All the best,

Dave

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1562

Eckhart Tolle calls the obsessive thinking of the mind another form of addiction:

As it is, I would say about 80 to 90 percent of most people's thinking is not only repetitive and useless, but because of its dysfunctional and often negative nature, much of it is also harmful. Observe your mind and you will find this to be true. It causes a serious leakage of vital energy. This kind of compulsive thinking is actually an addiction. What characterizes an addiction? Quite simply this: you no longer feel that you have the choice to stop. It seems stronger than you. It also gives you a false sense of pleasure, pleasure that invariably turns into pain.

The above is from his book Power of Now. I would suggest you also read the book Alcoholics Anonymous (available on the web for free at AA.org) so you can see if you can relate to the disease concept of alcoholism.

9 years ago +1 +1 / -0 347

True statements. Exercise, diet, and alcohol determine what I do in my day. What I don't understand is the "thought" of not drinking a particular night consumes my thoughts throughout the day. The "thought" of abstaining ends up being worse than the actual action of abstaining, so why don't I do it?

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1562

Alcohol may not be the problem. Alcoholism might be the problem. What I mean is, the state of mind and body without alcohol, we become restless irritable and discontented and we have become so dependent on alcohol that we can't sleep without it. And we are obsessed about drinking or how not to drink. And we may exercise our will power in all other areas except when it comes to alcohol, like you mentioned. The whole life revolves around alcohol. You may need to seek a spiritual solution.

9 years ago +2 +2 / -0 347

Thanks for your suggestions. Ironically, exercise and a very clean diet (other than alcohol) is a huge part of my life. I am very structured in what I do and usually adhere to a normal bed time. Have I tried to moderate or abstain? Not with the vigor that I put into my workouts or plans for meals. Why is that? Does that mean I actually have a alcohol problem?

It seems that each time I think of cutting back or abstaining I begin to rationalize to myself that I really need to sleep tonight and I will try again some other time. As far as supplements, I hope you are asking about something other than prescription medicines. I have been prescribed them before and have taken them as directed and either woke during the night or was VERY groggy the next day.

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

9 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11213

Hi Lynn123,

You are right, alcohol does hinder sleep. Exercise, meditation, breathing exercise, having a set sleep schedule and some supplements may help you sleep much better then alcohol ever did. You can also try turning your lights off an hour or two before you sleep, reading before bed and no screen time at least an hour before bedtime.

Have you set goal to abstain or moderate yet?

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

9 years ago +2 +2 / -0 347

Thanks for the reply. I can understand the fun thing, that is how the whole thing got started. As I continued to drink the times I would not drink resulted in sleepless nights. I do understand that sleeps actually hinders sleep but when I am lying awake all I can think about is that drinking would allow me sleep. I just need to find the strength to give a break from alcohol a try.

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