Insomnia returns again after drinking beer

Insomnia has reared its ugly head yet again.  After drinking some beers at a party on Saturday, I slept 5 hours that night and then Sunday I couldn't sleep at all.  Now I've been up for over 30 hours and feel terrible.

 

How is it possible that insomnia can last this long?  This is really upsetting.  I'm not going to drink again for a while..not worth it.  It doesn't make sense to me that insomnia can last this long.  I was only on benzos for a year and a half and have been off for over 5 months now.  Can the GABA receptors really become that damaged?  Seems ridiculous.  It seems like the body should heal WAY faster than this.  This is absurd.

 

I am really upset over this..I try to live a little again and get closelined by this garbage.  Guess no parties for me?  Disappointing..

 

I'm thinking about trying sleep restriction and have been trying to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time, 2 hours give or take.  I am confused about some of the concepts though and trying to get more information on it. 

Hi Glyn

I think only another insomniac can concur how miserable no sleep can make your life.  I have been doing as much research on the circadian cycle as my time allows and what I have found is that your cycle has to be reset by exposure to LIGHT.  In other words you must get maximum light exposure during the day - this will mean that even though you prefer going to bed in the early hours of the morning and sleeping part of the day you might just have to change it and hopefully relieve your persistant insomnia. The light exposure from the sun is obviously the best to reset your body clock. However UV florecent globes can be used for people who do not get much sunshine.  This link lists circadian cycle abnormalities and how to "move" them to more appropriate levels.

http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=circadian%20rhythm&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEAQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCircadian_rhythm_sleep_disorder&ei=JYRMT-HIDoyKhQeprLQZ&usg=AFQjCNEdsZd9T54UpdFS5qs7xp3-m9VKXQ

weird, I used to tan outside in the sun everyday and I still had insomnia when I did this.  I found out it didn't make a difference so I haven't been getting any sun at all lately.  Just figured it was a waste of time.

I hear you - I live in South Africa and am also a Tan fanatic - yet I have had to drug myself every night to get sleep.  I do however try and sleep within the "socially acceptable parameters" as they put it.

I've always had more energy at night and hated mornings for some reason.  I think 4-12 or 4-2 is a good schedule for me.  I'm really tired right now but I'm not sure if I should go to sleep early or not.  It's only 12 here and I set my bedtime to be around 4 but I've been up 38 hours already.

When you used to tan were you on medication?

yeah I was on Zyprexa when I used to tan, and I was trying to quit the Zyprexa, but the insomnia was too bad for me to quit.  I wasn't on benzos though.

hi GlynG booze works on the same receptors as benzo witch mite be couseing your insomnia. drinking can also set you back to, try to sustain from drinking for 1 year give your brain time to heal love in JESUS...kate7

HI, cutting the booze is tough, unfortunately you will suffer withdrawal symptoms from that too as your body gets accustomed to the effect of the alcohol on the gabba neurotransmitters. I know you feel like your damned if you do and damned if you dont and you will find no joy in life without booze but if you are seriously wanting  to heal you need to find ways to do it without alcohol, some people get away with it but as you have already found out you probably can't, I quit the booze 3 years ago and found it very hard and especially socially , I didnt want to go anywhere anymore as I wasnt enjoying myself without drinking when all my friends  seemed to having a wonderful time , I loved to unwind with a glass of wine which eventually became the whole damn bottle  but I had to quit  to become well again, good luck Ladygrace

I've been up 2 and a half days now..still no sleep AT ALL.  I hate this.  I know they work on the same receptors, that's why I mentioned GABA receptors in my first post.  I never get addicted to alcohol and never have withdrawals from it but it seems the GABA receptors are still damaged.

 

I can find joy without alcohol, I just think it's stupid that I can't drink a little bit with friends and not have severe consequences.

Hi Glyn. I know exactly what you mean. It doesn't seem like a small amount of alcohol should mess up your sleep so much. My last wine was Sunday and I would not have slept at all without unisom. Last nite I took Benadryl and it hardly seemed to work. I did the treadmill for 1/2 and hour, ate healthy, even tried meditation....still no sleep. I am one year, 2 mos off the temazapam/ambien. You'd sure think that by now I could have  a little wine. Of course I know I've had more wine than I should...but we were on a mini vacation in Palm Springs so....

yeah it's ridiculous how damaged the GABA receptors can be.  I was up 2 and a half days and only slept 1 hour last night..still really tired, going to see if I can nap at all pretty soon.  When I lay down I get bad hypnagogia when I try to sleep.  I hate hypnagogia.

Glyn what is hypnagoga? I'm sleeping really poorly. Hard to believe after so long off benzos that I can't sleep at all

Glyn,

 

I feel the same way.  I am able to have 1/2 to 1 drink.  That is it.  Anything over that and I do not sleep.  I only do this every 2-3 weeks or so.  It totally sucks.  Even the Ashton Manual states that we should try to maintain some type of normalcy.  I don't even like to go out to eat anymore where liquor is served because it reminds me I am not normal.

DG -- yeah I know what you mean..it sucks.

 

Maltese -- hypnagogia is dream-like hallucinations when you're not actually asleep (imagine daydreaming or being on hallucinogens)..it's really odd but sometimes instead of sleeping and dreaming my mind will go into hypnagogic hallucinations

GlynG

 

Hi again.  Alcohol totally disrupts sleep, especially coming off of a benzo.  As tough as it is, I would recommend not drinking right now if at all possible.  I quit drinking in October 2011 and it has totally changed the nature of my sleep, I sleep much better and don't keep getting up throughout the night.