Alcohol Free Sleep Deprivation?

Janerf1

Hey,

Just wondering if anyone is getting similiar symptoms to me. I have been a regular drinker for quite a while and have decided to now restrict my alcohol intake to moderate levels 1 day a week while I'm trying to loose weight. I'm feeling much more alert during the day but finding it quite hard to sleep properly at the moment.

My husband thinks that it was my brain being slightly dependant on the alcohol effect to help me sleep (as I'm not an alcoholic lol I just like a few in the evenings). I've found it easy to stop after moving the temptation for the first few days. But I'm wondering if the sleep thing will get better in time? As I'm doing T-25 and getting up at 0600 for it, I could really use sleeping properly!

Cheers

Jane

Frinkiac

Your husband could be correct, although it's very mild. You're not strictly an alcoholic (in my mind anyway) but the brain will get used to a certain substance after a while and find it a bit surprising when you slow down or suddenly stop.

I was on codeine some years ago for a very bad sprain and when the injury finally healed to the point where I didn't need codeine anymore I suddenly stopped taking it, it messed my sleep up for weeks. I developed something called restless leg syndrome (one of the most weird and annoying ailments I've ever had). After a few weeks it all settled down and I started sleeping normally again, my guess was the sudden withdrawl of the pills as my brain had got used to it. I even noticed everything was less 'fuzzy' after a few days, I never really noticed the 'fuzziness' in my mind until it went away. Some people get the same thing when they stop caffeine and tobacco

Give it longer, I don't know you or how you sleep usually so I have no idea how long it will take and I am no expert in these things, but give it a while longer and then see how you doing, it can take a few weeks.

Hell_Flower

It'll get better. Promise.

This happened to me when I cut back. But I also found that I would maybe have a snack at night or a coffee later in the afternoon than I normally would and this didn't help the falling asleep issues.

See if you can solve it by diet and finding out what works for you. Maybe try some Kalms or Valerian - I find these help with mild insomnia and are non habit forming. But in my humble opinion, it's probably just your body processing the changes - it might also be a habit/routine thing your brain is processing as well as the physical effects.

mockchoc

Try melatonin. It isn't a drug and usually no side effects.

nelsondiane952

I will listen to an audiobook at night. I slip my phone under my pillow and fall asleep to someone telling me a story. Podcasts work too! But not true crime...pick something relaxing!

kshama2001

I have been a lighter sleeper since I stopped being a heavy drinker in the 90s. I'm probably getting a better quality of sleep, and I'm sure I've increased my lifespan.

I was no longer able to sleep in the same bedroom as my (now-ex) husband, who snored.

I work on my sleep hygiene:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene