6 Tips for Dealing with Insomnia During Detox

Insomnia takes place when a person has consistent symptoms that are related to difficulty of either falling asleep or staying asleep. When it comes to trying to detox from a harmful substance such as drugs or alcohol, it is quite common for people to experience varying degrees of insomnia.

Insomnia not only wreaks havoc on a person’s mental and physical health, but it can also make it much harder for someone to successfully detox and get sober. The reason for this is because a major reason people relapse is simply to get some relief from the withdrawal symptoms.

It is an unfortunate reality of detox that the side effects can derail your incredible plans to get sober. For that reason, we have taken the time to break down the best tips to deal with insomnia during your detox from drugs and alcohol.

Establish a regular sleep schedule

One of the best ways to enjoy consistent sleep during detox is to commit to a regular sleep schedule. This means that you will want to make sure that you are going to bed and waking up at fairly normal hours, even if you are having a lot of trouble actually falling asleep. The reason why this is so important is because establishing a consistent schedule allows your body to set up its own internal clock. This is referred to scientifically as your circadian rhythm.

The more consistent your sleep schedule is, the better quality of sleep you are going to ultimately achieve.

Relax before bedtime

One of the major reasons for insomnia across the board is because people are not allowing their bodies and minds to relax before sleep. Too often, people decide to watch a movie, tv show, or play video games before they try to get to bed. These activities can instead trigger your brain to stay awake longer which can result in sleep disturbances.

Instead of doing that, you are going to want to do relaxing things such as reading a book, listening to music, taking a warm bath or shower, or something similar.

Pay attention to what you eat or drink

Another really good thing to remember is what you are eating and drinking prior to trying to fall asleep. Remember, studies show that nicotine and caffeine products - otherwise known as stimulants - can make it much harder for the body and mind to calm down before bed.

You should also make sure that you are eating enough for dinner, as being comfortably full when you are getting ready for a bed is a good way to be sure that you can fall asleep. Beyond that, make sure that you are well-hydrated while also not drinking too much water before bed, as that can lead your body to having to use the restroom in the middle of the night. As many who suffer from insomnia know, it can be really hard to fall back asleep if you end up waking up in the middle of the night.

Reduce nap times

One thing that can get people dealing with insomnia in trouble is taking naps during the day. While it is tempting due to the lack of sleep during the night, taking long naps during the day can really mess up your internal clock. If you are looking to freshen up during the day, try to limit your naps to 15 to 20 minutes during the day. In fact, a 30-minute nap or longer during the daytime can leave you feeling groggy and tired and can further negatively affect your body’s internal clock.

Only use your bedroom for sleep

Your sleep is dependent on a lot of factors that you might not have previously considered. In fact, it is recommended by researchers that you try to keep your bedroom exclusively for sleeping and relaxing as opposed to anything else. It is especially recommended that you refrain from working or exercising in your bedroom.

You want to make your bedroom a place that you body and mind naturally connect to relaxation, recharging and sleep. In order to best do that, you should only be doing stuff like that in your room!

Exercise regularly

One final great tip to avoid insomnia during detox is to get back into fitness. Not only can fitness serve as a wonderful way to get your mind off of substance abuse and expel energy, it will also make your body tired enough to actually want and need sleep at the end of the day. Truth is, it is way easier to fall asleep once you have expelled a fair amount of energy.

Conclusion

As you can see, overcoming insomnia is not an exact science, but also an art! Try any or all of these as the days go by to try to achieve a healthy sleeping schedule during your detox.