Preface: What better mascot for sleep than the cat? The one above is the late, great Thing 2 just awakened and still in one of his favorite poses, with exposed belly and splayed legs viewing the world through the slitted eyes of lazy contentment. Fond memories… he was a great cat.
Just as Recovery is not solely about sobriety, neither is alcoholism only about the drinking. The repercussions of an alcohol soaked life often include indebtedness, embarrassment, and a myriad of health and emotional issues that can lead to insomnia. This was a vicious circle because for me because sleeplessness leads to a whole host of other problems including more drinking and dangerous cocktails of self medication. When the booze is gone and the shakes are over many issues still remain, so one cannot expect that with the flip of a switch health sleep patterns will return… of course this won’t stop doctors from conducting yet another useless study.
Recovering alcoholics sleep worse than people who have never had a drinking problem, and this difference persists after months or even years of abstinence, new research shows. ~ Reuters
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Even in total abstinence, it can take years to straighten out the mess caused by an alcoholic lifestyle. The stress, regret, and an expansive list of I’m sorry’s and to-do’s can certainly take a toll on one’s sleep. For me at first, sobriety was the catalyst for real sleep- not just passed out unconsciousness, but it still took a while for me to shut down my brain and the sleep was intermittent. Books and crossword puzzles were my sleep aids during this period, but in time (years) I found myself waking up with the same book morning after morning without having ever turned a page and the puzzles would last all week. Now for the most part I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat – to me, it’s one of the greatest rewards of recovery. The confidence and contentment developed in recovery help us navigate a sober world… and are the keys to a deep sleep when it’s time for slumber.
