Ways To Get To Sleep

Ways to Get to Sleep | Pool

Insomnia Can Lead to Relapse. 8 Ways to Get to Sleep at Night; Even While Going Through Withdrawal!

Author: Christin Shire

There are a number of things that bring forth temptation and cravings and lead us back to all too frequent relapse and continuing abuse. There are also a great many steps we can take to minimize those risks of relapse; and concrete actions such as avoiding the environments and people likely to tempt abuse have a great influence over ultimate success.

When we get tired, hungry and lonely, we also feel a greater pull back to abuse, more easily get stressed and irritable; and feel our resolve to fight weaken. Eat before you're hungry, have a list of friends at the ready to call when you feel a need, and get enough sleep.

Sounds easy enough, but for anyone going through long term withdrawal, that last one, sleep, seems to give a lot of trouble.

Withdrawal can cause insomnia, and insomnia can cause relapse

Withdrawal off of a great many drugs can induce insomnia, and this insomnia can endure for months or even years after achieving sobriety. Long term abuse of drugs or alcohol can create changes in the brain that take considerable time to completely self regulate, and since the sleep during a period of intoxication and abuse is rarely quality sleep, many of us will have long term sleep deficits to make up. Paradoxically, although we are in many ways sleep deprived, this deprivation keeps us from falling to sleep!

Without sleep we are cranky and weakened, and the temptations to use while lying awake at night can feel overwhelming. Additionally, sleep is linked in as yet not fully understood ways to the reward mechanisms in the brain associated with drug seeking behaviors.

But when struggling with insomnia, sleep feels impossible, and although we would dearly love a good nights rest, sleep eludes us.

Few addictions professionals will ever recommend using sleeping medications with a potential for abuse as a solution to the problem, but there are certain steps you can take to help you to fall asleep at night, and by extension, to help you stay sober.

How to fall asleep while going through withdrawal

1) Get tired. Sounds obvious, but making sure to get enough physically wearying exercise during the day can really help you to fall asleep at night. Make sure that you do not engage in any strenuous activities for a few hours before bed though.

2) Don't drink coffee for at least 6 hours before bedtime. You don't need any stimulants fueling your insomnia!

3) No naps. Tempting as they may be, naps rob you of sleep at night, and can worsen insomnia.

4) Get into a routine, and try to go to bed and awake at roughly the same times each day. This can help to program your body towards sleep.

5) Make sure your bedroom is clean, quiet and black as night. You don't need any distractions.

6) Don't do anything in your bed except sleep. No TV, no reading, noa€¦

7) If you cannot sleep, after about half an hour get out of bed and do something else for a while before reattempting sleep. The anxiety associated with feelings of insomnia can make it harder to fall asleep.

8) Learn relaxation techniques such as positive imagery, breathing techniques and muscle relaxation strategies.

There are few guarantees or sure techniques to sleep, but by following all of the recommendations on the list above, you have a much improved chance of a restful sleep, and a following day of fewer temptations and craving.

If even after trying the above recommendations, you still cannot sleep, it can be helpful to discuss the problem with a sleep therapist.

Sleep is important, a lack of sleep can lead to relapse, and you need to do all you can to get a sound sleep each and every night.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/insomnia-can-lead-to-relapse-8-ways-to-get-to-sleep-at-night-even-while-going-through-withdrawal-230374.html

About the Author

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This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged addiction, alcohol rehab, cravings, detox, drug rehab, , relapse, sleep, temptation, withdrawal. Bookmark the permalink.

8 Responses to Ways To Get To Sleep

  1. Sudeep King of Scorn says:

    What are ways to get good sleep?
    When I sleep, a lot of images seem to flash in front of my eyes and I just can’t seem to drop off. Because of this I am aware and sensitive to things that go on around me. Before it was like a nictitating membrane used to drop over the eyes the moment I closed them and I’d fall asleep.
    Could you tell me why this happens, don’t suggest ways to sleep better. That would be like treating the syndrome. Thanks.

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  2. Buzz says:

    Why cant i get to sleep?
    For a while now i have struggled to sleep, i have been seeing a doctor regularly and have been signed off work sik for the past week and a half, i do have a stressful job and sometimes the hours are stupid. When i go to bed to sleep all i think about when i close my eyes is what is the point of life. There are a few dark thoughts that go through my mind. I have been advised on a few different ways to control these thoughts but nothing seems to be working. Well when i say not working what i mean is i think of something else other ten the dark thoughts and it keeps me awake for the past week i toss and turn in bed. I come to bed between 22:00 – 23:00 and sometimes i can still be awake at 04:00. My lack of sleep is also affecting my personal life as during the day i am too tired to do anything. I have no energy to exercise. When i do try to exercise i can only do 10 -15 min and then i get this really really painful headache which lasts for a good half hour. In that time i cant look at anything bright. I juat want to get some good sleep. Can anybody tell me whats wrong with me? Any ideas?

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  3. ♥ƹ̵̡ӝ̵̨̄ʒ♥cooki♥ƹ̵̡ӝ̵̨̄ʒ♥ says:

    how to get rid of dark circles and bags??
    I have a really hard problem going to sleep at night but that’s a long story anyway what are other ways to get rid of dark circles without sleeping if you can recommend a product or a home remedied or whatever please do im so sick and tired of my friends telling me i look like a zombie:) :P i am going to try to take sleeping pills so i can sleep more but i want to try to speed up the process because im getting my graduation picture taken in early february so pls pls pls pls help i dont want to look like a zombie:)

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  4. lisa-marie. says:

    How are easy ways to get to sleep fast?
    Okay, so it’s starting to come end of the summer holidays, and I’m going into year 10.
    I’ve been staying up ridicolously late, through out the whole six weeks, and now I’m wanting to get into a routine to get to sleep quicker, please give some ideas if you have any, don’t give me any pointless shit. Thank-you. :)

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    • Jake says:

      meditate. if you don’t know a way to meditate, try this.

      lay down in your bed. turn off all lights/distractions. find a small dot somewhere, or a point of focus. look at this dot. while keeping your eyes on the dot, become conscious of all of the muscles in your body. think of the stress you have been putting on your muscles. then, make an effort to relax them. start at your feet, and work your way up. your body should be like a limp pile of rubber bands. then, the next time you blink, use it as an excuse to close your eyes. once they are closed, think of something beautiful or peaceful to you, Perhaps a memory, or a flower. lock this in your mind’s eye. let your thoughts wander, but keep that picture as your focus.

      stay like this until sleep comes.

      hope this helps!

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  5. ゚★ノ━━☆━━´ワッ━━ショーイ ワッシ ━━━━*▼ says:

    What are some ways to sleep at night when?
    you’re really stressed about something that’s happening in the near future?

    I have been up since yesterday,I can’t sleep worrying about it.

    I have to get wisdom teeth cut out,and ever since I forced myself to make the appointment,I’ve been a nervous wreck.

    Being put to sleep terrifies me.. as I’ve never been put to sleep.

    Any helpful advice?

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    • Miss K says:

      I’ve never been put to sleep either, but my sisters have. When you get put to sleep you don’t feel anything, you may feel like you are becoming drowsy and then you fall asleep. when you wake up from your operation, you may feel a little pain, but not as much. plus you sort of have the satisfaction of knowing you didn’t have to see the operation.
      To get to sleep at night try thinking about something other than your tooth that’s important to you, what you want to do someday, where you want to go, a memory that makes you ahppy or something you would like to do about half an hour before you want to go to sleep keep thinking aboutn this thing and that should be your dream for the night and put yourself at ease

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