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    Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

    SLEEP
    I stopped drinking, but only when I sleep.
    ~unknown


    Let's talk about changes in our sleep since we've quit drinking or decided to moderate.

    I honestly felt like having a glass of wine tonight. I'm off tomorrow. Could have been easy to think about kicking back and enjoying one glass of wine before bed.

    You know what stopped me? I was feeling kind of tired and I knew if I had one glass of wine it would make me feel different. I know my body after all of these years! It would take away that nice, delicious feeling of "I'm so tired, I'm going to really sleep well tonight" and would replace it with a little edge.

    When I'm AF I definitely sleep better and wake up the next day much more refreshed. So, I know I am trading in quality sleep when I choose to drink. Definitely notice it with 2 and sometimes even with 1.

    What are you noticing?
    :l
    Eve11
    "Control your destiny or somebody else will"

    ~Jack Welsh~:h

    God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me. ~Author unknown, :thumbs:

    #2
    Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

    Hi Eve! Thanks for continuing this thread. I used to think that I would sleep better with some alcohol in my system but it actually would keep me from a deep restful sleep. I would not dream and would wake up during the night and not be able to get back to sleep for a while.
    And once the mind starts churning, the anxiety starts.
    Who needs that?
    No thanks.
    Toughen up!

    Comment


      #3
      Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

      Great topic Eve!

      My sleep wasn't as bad as some have described. I would wake up at about 3am, stumble to the loo for a pee, bang my knee on the wash basket, try to tip toe back to bed without disturbing hubby only to realise I had forgotten my water etc etc.... not a pretty sight.
      The worst was waking up in the early hours of the morning having an anxiety attack because I had just had a flash-back from something stupid I'd done or said the night before -- oh the shame of those moments.

      I now sleep a solid 9 to 10 hours a night (more if hubby lets me lol) and when I do have a glass of wine, it doesn't affect my sleep but it does affect my vitality the next day.

      I have just started taking L-Theanine which I believe also helps with insomnia, although it's not the reason I am taking it, so I am interested to see if my sleeping pattern does change at all.

      Last night was the pits!! The couple next door kept me up from 11:30 to 2:30 AM whilst they bashed the head board against the wall and screamed with joy (sigh) the joys of travelling.
      "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it"

      Comment


        #4
        Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

        Hi All Guys above and all guys to come..

        Sleep...I think for me this is fairly simple an equation. When I dont drink at all, which tends to be most of time at the moment, I sleep like the proverbial log. Not much wakes me in any event as I am a heavy, happy sleeper...I love love love my bed. If I have one or two drinks I cant honestly say as I notice much difference.....but

        ....and this is the big but, when I drink a larger quantity (not talking necessariliy out of my tree, just upwards of 3) I do sometimes wake up about 3am and have a spell of slight wakefulness....and the biggest changes comes in the morning, it is harder to get up and the day is harder to do. Even if there are no other symptoms of hangover, there is always lethary.

        So in all...yet another very good reason not to drink too much too often, as if we needed another reason!


        Well thats about all I can add to this...appart from thanks for the thread Eve....and love to all you lovely people.

        Moo
        "The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are,
        but in what direction we are moving."

        Comment


          #5
          Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

          When I was drinking, I rarely got a real sleep. I was unconscious. I'd wake up tired and stay tired all day, drink and knock myself out again. This could go on for weeks.
          When I stop, It takes a while to get back to some sort of normality. I'd sleep for a few hours and wake up for a while, unable to get back again. It would settle down eventually, after a while if I gave it a chance, but I rarely did.
          I'm taking Antabuse now and it's brilliant. One of the side effects is drowsiness So I take it early evening time, that way it doesn't effect my during the day and I have been sleeping really well for months, except on those days when I'm upset or disturbed by something. I've been dry for a while now and I'm sleeping as well as I ever did. I'm an early riser by nature and I'm generally in bed by 10:30.
          Sober sleep has really helped me think more clearly and to concentrate better. I worry less about things that I can't fix and I have the energy to try and fix those things I can.

          Comment


            #6
            Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

            Popeye;607522 wrote:
            Sober sleep has really helped me think more clearly and to concentrate better. I worry less about things that I can't fix and I have the energy to try and fix those things I can.
            Well said Pops. It's something I have also noticed. For example, i recieved an SMS from the bank just before I fell asleep last night to say that a payment I have been expecting hasn't come through so a debit of mine will be rejected.
            I felt a bit of anxiety whilst processing the info and then decided that there was nothing I could do about it then, made a note in my diary to call first thing in the morning, and promptly fell asleep without thinking about it again till after breakfast.
            "The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it"

            Comment


              #7
              Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

              Awe. Sleep! My of my favorite things to do. I've always been a great sleeper. Not only sleep at night, but love, love, love my naps. I can say that, no, I do NOT sleep well after drinking. Never did. I know when I'm not that I'll get the most restful sleep and feel great the next day. At times, I may wake up to go to the bathroom, and if I'm stressed, then I'll find it hard to fall back to sleep. But 9/10, I'm sleepin' like baby. Yes, another great reason not to drink. Maybe I'll put this at the top of my list.
              Sometimes what you're most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free.

              Comment


                #8
                Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

                OK, is it the sleep that gives me my new energy, or is the energy from not always thinking about the next drink?? Either way, I win!
                My life is better without alcohol, since 9/1/12. My sobriety tool is the list at permalink 236 on the toolbox thread under monthly abstinance.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Ch-ch-ch-changes Sleep

                  poor sleep, or inability to get to sleep was why I drank. Not sure as you say if it was rested sleep, since I always hated to get up in the morning and was always tired. Most likely the hangover idea(although I thought I never had hangovers).

                  Now AF drinking calming tea, sleepytime tea with velarian and sometimes taking the prescription med trazadone to help me get to sleep. Listen to the CDs to fall asleep. Wake up once about 3 and then back to sleep Wake up more rested and alert than I ever would have imagined. Most likely was fooling myself for a long time.

                  Live and learn
                  WF

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