| There are a number of things that bring forth | | | | certain steps you can take to help you to fall |
| temptation and cravings and lead us back to all | | | | asleep at night, and by extension, to help you |
| too frequent relapse and continuing abuse. There | | | | stay sober. |
| are also a great many steps we can take to | | | | How to fall asleep while going through withdrawal |
| minimize those risks of relapse; and concrete | | | | 1) Get tired. Sounds obvious, but making sure to |
| actions such as avoiding the environments and | | | | get enough physically wearying exercise during |
| people likely to tempt abuse have a great | | | | the day can really help you to fall asleep at night. |
| influence over ultimate success. | | | | Make sure that you do not engage in any |
| When we get tired, hungry and lonely, we also | | | | strenuous activities for a few hours before bed |
| feel a greater pull back to abuse, more easily get | | | | though. |
| stressed and irritable; and feel our resolve to fight | | | | 2) Don’t drink coffee for at least 6 hours |
| weaken. Eat before you're hungry, have a list of | | | | before bedtime. You don’t need any |
| friends at the ready to call when you feel a need, | | | | stimulants fueling your insomnia! |
| and get enough sleep. | | | | 3) No naps. Tempting as they may be, naps rob |
| Sounds easy enough, but for anyone going | | | | you of sleep at night, and can worsen insomnia. |
| through long term withdrawal, that last one, sleep, | | | | 4) Get into a routine, and try to go to bed and |
| seems to give a lot of trouble. | | | | awake at roughly the same times each day. This |
| Withdrawal can cause insomnia, and insomnia can | | | | can help to program your body towards sleep. |
| cause relapse | | | | 5) Make sure your bedroom is clean, quiet and |
| Withdrawal off of a great many drugs can induce | | | | black as night. You don’t need any |
| insomnia, and this insomnia can endure for months | | | | distractions. |
| or even years after achieving sobriety. Long term | | | | 6) Don’t do anything in your bed except |
| abuse of drugs or alcohol can create changes in | | | | sleep. No TV, no reading, no… |
| the brain that take considerable time to | | | | 7) If you cannot sleep, after about half an hour |
| completely self regulate, and since the sleep during | | | | get out of bed and do something else for a while |
| a period of intoxication and abuse is rarely quality | | | | before reattempting sleep. The anxiety associated |
| sleep, many of us will have long term sleep | | | | with feelings of insomnia can make it harder to fall |
| deficits to make up. Paradoxically, although we are | | | | asleep. |
| in many ways sleep deprived, this deprivation | | | | 8) Learn relaxation techniques such as positive |
| keeps us from falling to sleep! | | | | imagery, breathing techniques and muscle |
| Without sleep we are cranky and weakened, and | | | | relaxation strategies. |
| the temptations to use while lying awake at night | | | | There are few guarantees or sure techniques to |
| can feel overwhelming. Additionally, sleep is linked | | | | sleep, but by following all of the recommendations |
| in as yet not fully understood ways to the | | | | on the list above, you have a much improved |
| reward mechanisms in the brain associated with | | | | chance of a restful sleep, and a following day of |
| drug seeking behaviors. | | | | fewer temptations and craving. |
| But when struggling with insomnia, sleep feels | | | | If even after trying the above recommendations, |
| impossible, and although we would dearly love a | | | | you still cannot sleep, it can be helpful to discuss |
| good nights rest, sleep eludes us. | | | | the problem with a sleep therapist. |
| Few addictions professionals will ever recommend | | | | Sleep is important, a lack of sleep can lead to |
| using sleeping medications with a potential for | | | | relapse, and you need to do all you can to get a |
| abuse as a solution to the problem, but there are | | | | sound sleep each and every night. |