Sleep (Lack of It!)

[just_mills]

For the passed month or so, it has become known to me, that I am having serious troubles with regular a sleeping pattern.
As time passes by, I find it gets worse.
For instance, last night I went to bed at approximately 7:30AM. It is now 11:58AM, and I am completely awake (and have been for the last hour).
During mid-afternoon I will begin to feel slightly tired, and maybe take a short nap, if need be. Then I'll be up again at an irregular time, being awake throughout a portion of the night (depending on the time of the nap) - Some may say, well go to bed at a "regular time" then.. - Yes, that'd be the first thing to think of.. But even if I sleep at 11:00PM, I find myself awake at say 4/5:00AM ready to be up for the day!
This all happens even if I am having a slow/uneventful day aswel as working days..
It did occour to me, that perhaps dealing with the recent death of my Grandad, is the cause, but I really don't believe that it would still be a primary reason.
Also I quite drugs 16 days ago, which I figure might be another reason, but I am not craving for any drugs.. but the sleep disfunction might be a reasoning/another way of letting out the "pain" ?!

Just wondering if anyone had any insight or thoughts regarding the subject matter?
If it continues I think I shall need to go and see my GP.

*Sigh*

Edit; Been getting weird electric shock sensations in my head, during all of this, also. - Totally no idea whats going on there!

 

[Eagle653]

Hi, what drugs did you quit?

 

[just_mills]

Ecstacy, MDMA, LSD, Ketamine, Cocaine, Speed, Magic Mushrooms. Uhm.. I think that's it.


Bold = ones that were more often..

 

[Eagle653]

OK, thanks. I'm not a withdrawal expert but I'm hoping that this information helps guide any medically-oriented person here to some answers as to whether quitting these drugs could cause sleep disruptions in the form you describe.

(Congrats, by the way, in giving them up!)

 

[CagedBird]

Speaking as one who has gone down the dangerous path of recreational drugs, I found cocaine to have negative effects years latter. I think long term abuse of any upper is going to have lingering effects on us, including sleep loss, & more commonly, DEPRESSION. Get out out the black hole of recreational drugs, they don't solve life's problems or help you grow/mature.

I'm still trying to figure out why I cant sleep like I use to. Ive always slept solid for 8-10 hours nightly. Since I turned 45, I had very few restful nights, generally accumulating 4-5 hrs sleep total. I'm washed out these days, would give anything for a good night sleep [EXCEPT DRUGS!].

I hope others chime in on this issue, good thread topic Just: Mills.

 

[rotary]

Nice work on quitting drugs bud, you deserve a pat on the back for that.

As for your sleep pattern, you said that when you go to bed at 11pm, you wake up at 5am. That's normal for a lot of people, as some only need 6 or so hours of down time.

Try waking up at the same time each morning, without having a set bed time. Just go to bed whenever you're tired, but keep waking up at the same time. Eventually you'll fall into a cycle.

 

[HighParkLover]

First of all congrats on cleaning yourself up from the drug use and I wish you the best and hope you stay clean.

I think its a huge adjustment to your system right now and it may just take some time for your body to adjust but I also agree with rotary that some people just need 6 hours sleep.

I find these past couple of weeks I have been finding it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep but thats probably due to the fact that I just started taking Paxil?

Anyhow best of luck and if it continues talk to your doctor.

 

[looseliam]

I recall you talking about quitting, but for the life of me I can't remember how long it's been.

Some of the substances you list cause your brain to release more chemicals than it is used to. So after prolonged use, receptors can get weak (if this is the proper term.)

I know when I stopped using cocaine, it took a bit before my body righted itself.

Give it a bit of time to see if things return to normal, or as close to it that you can get.

 

[just_mills]

Thanks for these replies guys.
It has now technically been 17 days, Liam .

I'd blame it all on the drugs, but it's the fact it began, before I quit.
Damn 2007!

 

[looseliam]

Hmm. Well then.

Hell, I just noticed. It's 4am by you. Still awake I see.

I'm wondering; has anything really been bugging you lately? Any added stress?

 

[just_mills]

Yes. A fair amount. But, never could I imagine it to cause me this much grief!
Taken from the "General Update" Thread in HT!'s:

I lost my job and my Grandad in January, so hit a low-blow that month.
Currently trying to find a new job that'll I'll be happy to stick with, until I go back to Uni in September.
Also stumbled across a very wonderful person, who's entered my life 100% in January, so it most definitely had good to it!

A couple of friends stumbled across my Profile on here this week, and being a "closet case" it has messed up a few things - News travels fast, and some people are not being very nice about it - However, some REALLY ARE! .

Off to Canada (Toronto) in May - Possibly June, due to money circumstances. Need to book the flight in the next 2 weeks, or so.
I'm actually visiting someone from Here!! !

Trying to loose some weight at the moment, also, which isn't going too bad. It's going, slowly but surely.. VERY slowly! But I'm trying, and 100% determined to get rid of this unwanted load I carry around.

 

[looseliam]

Ahh, that's the post in which I remember you ceasing your substance usage.

It looks like I forgot the rest, sorry.

Let this run its course. Work through in your head the troubles you have.

When I have trouble sleeping, I find it helps if there's a constant noise I can concentrate on. Like a Tibetan singing bowl. Or a fan, or something.