While this may be the case, there is also the possibility that this isn’t really tied to alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol makes it very easy to fall asleep and very hard to have high quality sleep. Others have mentioned this - but you may have developed an evening routine that (unbeknownst to you) relied upon alcohol to slow you down and get you to sleep.
Since it sounds like your problems are truly around falling asleep and not the total sleep time I would focus entirely on the evening routine suggestions others have posted here. I would not recommend pills at this point - you don’t have nearly enough data points (15 nights is not enough) to add what would likely become a permanent medication to your routine.
I’d suggest you look at the answers to the questions below, and probably others, and see if you can find the cause.
What are you doing in the thirty minutes before you fall asleep? Do you have a television in your bedroom? Are you exercising in the evenings? At what time do you stop caffeine consumption? How long before you sleep do you eat a large meal? A sugary snack?
It is also possible you are an insomniac or have another stress related sleep disorder that the alcohol was helping to mask. I would do everything I could on the above items before I considered medical treatment for something like this.
Lots of stuff to try. Each one could potentially work or just provide enough of a placebo effect that you get to sleep. Either way…sleeping is sleeping.
Actually, alcohol is a depressant, so the adaptation would be to “rev up” those neurological processes that are depressed. Removing the depressant, would leave those processes still “revved up”, and it may take some time to normalize. Follow the suggestions re sleep hygiene. I would consider a physician visit if things don’t start to improve after a couple of weeks.
Good advice here. Also agree with @Jhardisk suggestion regarding melatonin.
Melatonin, taken regularly for a while may help get you back in your routine. Usually 2 - 2.5 mg is enough and higher doses and not necessarily better.
With a good routine, healthy sleeping habits, and keeping up with your training, there is a high likelihood things get back on track for you soon.
Hmmm, I thought my wife posted this under a fictitious name “GeorgeAnderson”…because she been hearing me complain about this same problem that I have had since December 12th, when I quit drinking!! Even if I did go to sleep, I’d wake up within two hours wide awake. One thing that has helped me (so far) is changing my workout routine. Now after I get home around 5:30-6:00, I will do my TrainerRoad workout, then take a hot bath, then eat dinner and drink a hot bedtime tea, and go to bed. I hoping to eventually get back to eating earlier, but this helps me to sleep, and that’s very important to me at this time.
A quick update. From day 18 on I’ve been sleeping soundly for about 8 to 9 hours each night. Looks like it just took those 18 days for my brain to detox or something. Happy days.
On an even happier note. Tomorrow 22nd January will be my 10 years in remission from cancer (Hodgkins Lymphoma) Happy days that have been helped along the way by TR Thank you TR.
He has not indicated he was a full blown alcoholic. Delirium Tremens is a significant problem associated with alcohol withdrawal and people can die from that.
Other good things to do before bed is to include a stretching routine. Turn the lights down, maybe put some relaxing music on or something easy on TV and stretch your legs and back.
Along with other things I find that helps to de-stress after a hard and stressful workday.
Hey George!
Tell me about your diet. Do you eat healthy? It has a huge impact on quality of sleep and sleeping time.
Also: Do you try to meditate? Do you use phone, computer or tablet 2 h before go to sleep?
GeorgeAnderson, I’m glad you got it sorted. I gave up alcohol for about a year. Like you, I had developed a bit of a habit though well short of being alcoholic. It took me a few months to start feeling really good but it was well worth it.
I still drink but just about 1/10 of what I used to drink. Usually that is a beer or glass of wine once a week if we go out to eat and I don’t have a big ride the next day. On the rare occasion I go for the 2nd glass, I always pay for it a bit the next day.
Alcohol is a net negative for health - mouth cancer, throat cancer, colon cancer, etc. The whole ‘a glass of wine a day is good for your heart’ idea is total BS. That said, it’s an enjoyable drug and hard to give up.
I have tried it and while it works for some it doesn’t work for all… I know a lot of people including some very close to me that have used it and have reported that while it gets them to sleep it doesn’t keep them asleep. Playing around with dosages and timing still docent cut it for me… Im not knocking it. My Brother takes it and swears by it,. I on the other hand take it and 3-4 hours later am wide awake ready or the day (at 1-2 am)
Thank you TR.
