Me! That’s what happened to me. Self-medicating gave me a decade of full blown alcohol use disorder. Almost two years sober and the only time I am tempted to drink is when I’m in a bad insomnia phase.
Ummmm… take it from someone who only drank occasionally because “it helped me sleep”, to drinking 1/4-1/3 of a 1.75L per night because I couldn’t not: this isn’t a cycle you should start. The withdrawals are awful. You can actually die. And the dependency happens much MUCH faster than you think. And you start trying to find benzos for your morning because you can’t stop shaking and sweating. And you’re still exhausted after the nightly blackout. “That won’t happen to me,” turns into “… oh shit, I’m in real trouble” extremely fast.
This exactly! I don’t like to get blackout drunk, but any time I have, my sleep is terrible even if I get 8 full hours or more, and I just feel like garbage all day. I’d rather just not do it.
It’s so awful. And even though you’re “asleep”, it doesn’t mean you’re getting any sleep at all. I want to add on to the feeling like garbage statement for you and anyone else who reads this. After you quit drinking for a period and you were abusing alcohol before, a thing called PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome) which can cause physical and mental issues like insomnia. Also, stopping after heavy use and having a couple drinks every now and again can put you in a spot where you’ll be massively hungover every time you drink. Small amounts can mean massive hangovers. It’s a spiral, and it’s awful. I’m 1.5 years sober and I’d rather get no sleep than have my best “sleep” while drinking.
The alcohol causes the quality of said 12 hours of sleep to be 0. You might have slept for longer but it would basically be the same as just sleeping a couple of hours each night. I do NOT recommend doing this as you're just wasting money on alcohol and time being hungover/getting bad quality of sleep.
For me it’s the opposite I’ll sleep for max 4 hours I have horrible nightmares. Wake up all the time get a racing heart and feel like shit from it.
So I actually avoid alcohol because to me the bad sleep and nightmares are not Wort it 😅
Many people talk bad about it, I get why. Not the healthiest way of getting sleep. But I can understand you as well, some sleep is better than none after a while. Personally I have drank myself to sleep many times when I have not got access to other drugs. You feel like shit the next day but yeah some sleep is better than nothing.
I can relate as well. I eventually found a couple of pills that work but before that I’d be having a glass of gin to fall asleep. Though my insomnia is occasional, and I would do it once in 1-2 weeks only
I like to have the occasional drink but I can say that after much research and personal experience it is antithetical to good sleep. It contributes to my insimnia- might help me fall asleep but then I wake and toss and turn. Even if you are getting sleep w it its not quality sleep. I mean- whatever works for you but its def not advised as a quality sleep remedy. And obv for some folks its addictive.
It helped mine too but it took more and more to do it and long story short after three years of it, it had taken hold of my life.
Bedtime drinking got earlier, and it took more to do the job. Then came the shakes when it would wear off and only a drink would stop them. It became a living hell as I became totally addicted. I ended up in AA, scared as hell, puking my guts out in withdrawals, and felt like I was going to die if I kept drinking or tried to stop.
It is a slippery slope. Be careful. I'm not saying it will happen to you, but warning that it very well could.
I try melatonin and working out primarily but if my brain is too stimulated ill have no more than 2 sips of wine as a last resort and it does help sometimes.
Strong disagree… I even quit weed because it’s the same thing. Yes you fall asleep shorter in the short term let’s say a month or two, but it is not high quality sleep and it creeps up in your life in other ways until you realize there’s a big problem. Personally the highest quality sleep I’ve ever had was when I pushed myself to exhaustion during the day working out. I had REM vivid dreams and woke up feeling so well. Unfortunately my depression and anxiety prevent me from working out and that thus affects my sleep. It just sucks to be so aware of what I’m going through but not be able to do anything about it (medication is inconsistent for me)
Anyways just wanted to share my opinion
I would see a psychiatrist as opposed to depending on an addictive substance. This is a recipe for alcoholism: my Dad was an alcoholic and trust you don’t want that.
Why are you using alcohol as opposed to a psychiatric medicine?
It’s not your deep sleep. There are four stages and it’s the stage after deep sleep. It’s actually the stage where you’re most awake.
I know it’s not the point of the post but, it’s a weird pet peeve of mine.
You're all right. There are four, but the deepest stage is argued between nrem 3 And REM. Not arguing just we are both right. Medically it's not agreed which one is considered the deepest so.
No. That’s not real sleep. Coming up on 3 years sober soon, and I used to drink to sleep. The sleep I get now is real sleep and I feel refreshed most every day. My insomnia has almost completely left. I had it the other day for the first time in probably 8 months.
Drinking encouraged insomnia. I promise.
I started drinking to get sleep and now I cannot sleep without drinking. Please help careful. I’m turning into an alcoholic because it’s the only thing that allows me to get sleep. Even though the quality of sleep sucks is the only that that gets me sleep. I toss and turn and go piss every 10 minutes when I try to sleep sober . I have anxiety about falling asleep and I don’t get any sleep until about 3am. Shit sucks .
As others have posted, this not a good way to go.
One thing that seems to have been overlooked is that drinking to blackout is also adding a lot of empty calories to your system. I.e. a good way to gain weight. This can lead to sleep apnea, which will make your insomnia worse. Welcome to a vicious cycle.
If I drink about 10 small beers I do sleep without interruption. But it's a fine line, if I drink too much or too fast I feel like shit for days and I won't be able to sleep during that time.
If I drink about 4 beers I might as well stay up the whole night, my sleep will be garbage.
I used to have to do that too out of desperation. It's not a very healthy habit and it really started affecting me so I switched to Cannabis (lol). Also probably not a good idea but without it I'm awake most of the night. I have started using a sound therapy program called Huso which is helping me quite a bit. Sleeping has been a constant struggle for the last thirty years and I've tried practically everything out there.
This is how someone becomes an alcoholic eventually. Be careful with that.
Me! That’s what happened to me. Self-medicating gave me a decade of full blown alcohol use disorder. Almost two years sober and the only time I am tempted to drink is when I’m in a bad insomnia phase.
That’s not actual sleep nor is it going to work for long.
As a way too long alcoholic; It won't in the long run bud
Also drinking doesn’t give your body good sleep despite how long you sleep.
Ummmm… take it from someone who only drank occasionally because “it helped me sleep”, to drinking 1/4-1/3 of a 1.75L per night because I couldn’t not: this isn’t a cycle you should start. The withdrawals are awful. You can actually die. And the dependency happens much MUCH faster than you think. And you start trying to find benzos for your morning because you can’t stop shaking and sweating. And you’re still exhausted after the nightly blackout. “That won’t happen to me,” turns into “… oh shit, I’m in real trouble” extremely fast.
This exactly! I don’t like to get blackout drunk, but any time I have, my sleep is terrible even if I get 8 full hours or more, and I just feel like garbage all day. I’d rather just not do it.
It’s so awful. And even though you’re “asleep”, it doesn’t mean you’re getting any sleep at all. I want to add on to the feeling like garbage statement for you and anyone else who reads this. After you quit drinking for a period and you were abusing alcohol before, a thing called PAWS (post acute withdrawal syndrome) which can cause physical and mental issues like insomnia. Also, stopping after heavy use and having a couple drinks every now and again can put you in a spot where you’ll be massively hungover every time you drink. Small amounts can mean massive hangovers. It’s a spiral, and it’s awful. I’m 1.5 years sober and I’d rather get no sleep than have my best “sleep” while drinking.
The alcohol causes the quality of said 12 hours of sleep to be 0. You might have slept for longer but it would basically be the same as just sleeping a couple of hours each night. I do NOT recommend doing this as you're just wasting money on alcohol and time being hungover/getting bad quality of sleep.
For me it’s the opposite I’ll sleep for max 4 hours I have horrible nightmares. Wake up all the time get a racing heart and feel like shit from it. So I actually avoid alcohol because to me the bad sleep and nightmares are not Wort it 😅
At this point I'll just take bad sleep lol. Been having some bad nights for the past 3 days now
Many people talk bad about it, I get why. Not the healthiest way of getting sleep. But I can understand you as well, some sleep is better than none after a while. Personally I have drank myself to sleep many times when I have not got access to other drugs. You feel like shit the next day but yeah some sleep is better than nothing.
I can relate as well. I eventually found a couple of pills that work but before that I’d be having a glass of gin to fall asleep. Though my insomnia is occasional, and I would do it once in 1-2 weeks only
This exactly
I like to have the occasional drink but I can say that after much research and personal experience it is antithetical to good sleep. It contributes to my insimnia- might help me fall asleep but then I wake and toss and turn. Even if you are getting sleep w it its not quality sleep. I mean- whatever works for you but its def not advised as a quality sleep remedy. And obv for some folks its addictive.
Alcohol lowers sleep quality among other things. You're sabotaging yourself.
just like that insomnia is full of paradoxical shit
It helped mine too but it took more and more to do it and long story short after three years of it, it had taken hold of my life. Bedtime drinking got earlier, and it took more to do the job. Then came the shakes when it would wear off and only a drink would stop them. It became a living hell as I became totally addicted. I ended up in AA, scared as hell, puking my guts out in withdrawals, and felt like I was going to die if I kept drinking or tried to stop. It is a slippery slope. Be careful. I'm not saying it will happen to you, but warning that it very well could.
I used to think this. Probably my biggest regret
Same fuckin here. Works better than anything I've ever tried, even a few days after too
It used to help me too but then it stopped. It's temporary and really not good all round
I try melatonin and working out primarily but if my brain is too stimulated ill have no more than 2 sips of wine as a last resort and it does help sometimes.
Yeah. Wine did it for me too.
Strong disagree… I even quit weed because it’s the same thing. Yes you fall asleep shorter in the short term let’s say a month or two, but it is not high quality sleep and it creeps up in your life in other ways until you realize there’s a big problem. Personally the highest quality sleep I’ve ever had was when I pushed myself to exhaustion during the day working out. I had REM vivid dreams and woke up feeling so well. Unfortunately my depression and anxiety prevent me from working out and that thus affects my sleep. It just sucks to be so aware of what I’m going through but not be able to do anything about it (medication is inconsistent for me) Anyways just wanted to share my opinion
Hey me too! My liver isn’t doing well per my doctor
I would see a psychiatrist as opposed to depending on an addictive substance. This is a recipe for alcoholism: my Dad was an alcoholic and trust you don’t want that. Why are you using alcohol as opposed to a psychiatric medicine?
Passing out is not the same as sleeping. You’re not getting REM sleep.
REM sleep is the lightest, no?
No, it's your deep sleep.
It’s not your deep sleep. There are four stages and it’s the stage after deep sleep. It’s actually the stage where you’re most awake. I know it’s not the point of the post but, it’s a weird pet peeve of mine.
You're all right. There are four, but the deepest stage is argued between nrem 3 And REM. Not arguing just we are both right. Medically it's not agreed which one is considered the deepest so.
Ah. Interesting!
It's the only way I can sleep, unfortunately
Me too:(
No. That’s not real sleep. Coming up on 3 years sober soon, and I used to drink to sleep. The sleep I get now is real sleep and I feel refreshed most every day. My insomnia has almost completely left. I had it the other day for the first time in probably 8 months. Drinking encouraged insomnia. I promise.
https://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/s/v6eFsnRDMx
I started drinking to get sleep and now I cannot sleep without drinking. Please help careful. I’m turning into an alcoholic because it’s the only thing that allows me to get sleep. Even though the quality of sleep sucks is the only that that gets me sleep. I toss and turn and go piss every 10 minutes when I try to sleep sober . I have anxiety about falling asleep and I don’t get any sleep until about 3am. Shit sucks .
Careful.
How in the world?! The day I drink, I cannot sleep at all. Alcohol kills what little sleep I can get. :(
My sister died in her sleep this way. She was a long time alcoholic and started adding in ambien. Be careful.
Hell no dont go down that hole trust me not worth it.tried it too many times thinking itll be different but nope
As others have posted, this not a good way to go. One thing that seems to have been overlooked is that drinking to blackout is also adding a lot of empty calories to your system. I.e. a good way to gain weight. This can lead to sleep apnea, which will make your insomnia worse. Welcome to a vicious cycle.
So you drink and then pass out, huh? Well, good.
I thought so too until I didn't 😅
Yes, it can help with the path to resetting. It’s then your job the next day to make sure you get sleep without alcohol, very consciously
If I drink about 10 small beers I do sleep without interruption. But it's a fine line, if I drink too much or too fast I feel like shit for days and I won't be able to sleep during that time. If I drink about 4 beers I might as well stay up the whole night, my sleep will be garbage.
I used to have to do that too out of desperation. It's not a very healthy habit and it really started affecting me so I switched to Cannabis (lol). Also probably not a good idea but without it I'm awake most of the night. I have started using a sound therapy program called Huso which is helping me quite a bit. Sleeping has been a constant struggle for the last thirty years and I've tried practically everything out there.
Alcoholism is in fact cool
Wow, that's incredibly dangerous! Please don't self-medicate. Seek professional medical help. You're an alcoholic. 💔
After years of rem blah blah blah, it turns out deep sleep is the most important phase. Some googly juice guarantees deep sleep.