Quitting smoking and Insomnia?

• By Beth
• Posted July 7, 2008 at 10:06 am
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It is completely related to quitting smoking and it goes away.

When I quit, I had insomnia for about two months. I was exhausted, frustrated and used self medication as you are. Unfortunately, alcohol will only keep you asleep until it metabolizes and then BAM! All that sugar hits your bloodstream and you are awake.

I tried yoga breathing/relaxation techniques with some success but you pretty much just have to ride it out. It'll pass.

Congratulations on making it a month smoke free! Keep it up, sleep will come.
Beth, TeamInspire

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• By coppa_keepa
• Posted July 7, 2008 at 1:50 pm
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*phew* good to know. Yes even 1 glass of alcohol also gave me heartburn/ digestive issues so I've quit that before bed. The other stuff still makes me feel groggy the next day and also like a loser and a secret drug addict or something, but nothing feels more dreadful that laying awake trying to will/relax yourself to sleep night after night, or falling asleep 1 hour before your alarm and having to drag yourself out of what you'd been waiting for all night.

I've never been any good at meditation or gotten the point of it, that same feeling is just one Xanax away with a lot less effort and irritation LOL! But I do not want to get to using a drug of some sort every day, especially to go to sleep. So thanks for letting me know it passes, I'll ride it out... and read a lot of novels! :-)

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• By andmegab
• Posted July 8, 2008 at 8:24 am
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the patch has helped me with the insomnia. that....and LOTS of hot hot baths at bedtime!

congrats on the month long smoke out. keep up the good work!

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• By coppa_keepa
• Posted July 8, 2008 at 6:27 pm
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You know hot baths is a great idea actually... the patch gives me nightmares and weird vivid futuristic dreams LOL @_@, I think that's even listed in it the side effects but maybe it doesn't do that to everyone. I am finding nicorette helps quite a bit though.

Melatonin, Magnesium, sleepy tea and other natural sleep aids help a bit too though I often wake up a few hours later at like 3am.

andmegab how long have you quit smoking for and how long before the insomnia went away for you?

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• By andmegab
• Posted July 8, 2008 at 6:42 pm
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im just a beginner in the quitting thing. mostly cause i got such a sore throat from the radiation, so its only been a couple of weeks. i think i might not be having trouble with the insomnia cause of the fatigue from chemo & radiation too. i tried lots of times before, and the insomnia got to me too. now, i just chalk sleepless nights up to my entire sleep schedule being messed up, or the meds, or feeling lousy. i sure didnt know there was this much stuff on tv that late at night either. LOL!

hang in there....i know you are gonna make it. you sound so determined!

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• By coppa_keepa
• Posted July 8, 2008 at 7:53 pm
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Yeah it sounds like you have a lot of other factor's going on, which I am fortunate not to have to deal with.

LOL I'm glad my TV signal is too lousy these days to end up watching late night infomercials and re-runs of Jerry Springer, but there sure is a lot of useless cr@p to surf on Wikipedia that I really didn't need to know, and do now. :-) Best of luck to you.

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