insomnia is a bitch! that's why I like to have a few beer or a few shots of whiskey at night for a better sleep.but lately my sleep pattern and sleep quality is screwed because of the so called alcohol sleep aid.i noticed that with alcohol at night it disturb my sleep.i wake up multiple times at night,twisted strange dreams,dry throat and feeling fragile in the morning.so I did a search about alcohol and sleep and find that alcohol mess up your sleep.yes it make you feel drowsy and sleepy,therefore you THINK that you're gona have a wonderful restful sleep.guess what!!! you're wrong.it disturb your sleep instead,ain't healthy at all.so i stop drinking at night and listening to insomnia cure subliminal from real sub.it's hard to break the habit at first,but you'll get used to it.subliminal messages really work.i only just started listening to insomnia cure and I feel more calm,my mind is at ease without the help of alcohol.of course im still struggling a little bit,but my determination plus the insomnia sub is starting to show good result.alcohol is not a sleeping aid people,it mess up your sleep.avoid the booze at night and try the sleeping aid and insomnia cure subs,good luck

I also suffer from insomnia, and my sleep was neither better nor worse than usual. Beats the hell out of PRL, though. That shit makes my insomnia 10x worse. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Still, I seem to get completely opposite effects from most people when drunk, becoming giddy at first, then smooth and relaxed until it wears off. Doesn't matter how much I drink, alcohol never puts me in a partying mood. Just blissful, relaxing euphoria. Strange.

Been there a couple of years ago, alcohol works short term but not long term. Really alcohol is not good in any way long term.

I think I tried almost all cures for insomnia, here is what works for me:

- All screens off two hours before sleep. No tv, computer, ipad, phone or whatever. You will be amazed how good this works. The light in most modern screens are similar to that of the sun and interferes with the bodies production of Melantonin, the sleep hormone.

- No music or stimulating things either 2 hours before sleep, it keeps your nervous system going. Read a book or something, much better habit to get into.

- Supplement Melantonin is great and a natural substance for the body, non addictive and no side effects. Don't take above 1mg since above 0,5mg is even higher then what the body natural produces. The 5mg time release is fine though since it is all not released at once.

- Ashwagandha, herb that stabilizes cortisol levels in the evening and acts as a mild relaxant. Take it an hour before bed.

- L-Theanine, promotes alpha brainwaves to help you relax and wind down after a long day. This is great to relax and healthy in many ways more.

- Depending on your sleep cycle and how your cortisol levels fluctuate during the day you might want to exercise in either the morning or the evening to help sleep. You will have to try it out to see which one suits you. But exercise is needed in order to sleep well. You have to spend energy since you can not sleep saving it all up. All those extra calories you put in your stomach has to be spent or they will keep you up.

- Magnesium helps relax tense muscles, 300-400mg 2 hours before bed.


There is a bunch of other stuff that works for some other people also, like 5-htp. I prefer not to fuck with my serotonin to much and it never really worked for me for sleep.

thanks alex! some great info there.have you tried valerian and is it safe for long term use?

(12-21-2013 2:53 AM)_alex_ Wrote:  Been there a couple of years ago, alcohol works short term but not long term. Really alcohol is not good in any way long term.

I think I tried almost all cures for insomnia, here is what works for me:

- All screens off two hours before sleep. No tv, computer, ipad, phone or whatever. You will be amazed how good this works. The light in most modern screens are similar to that of the sun and interferes with the bodies production of Melantonin, the sleep hormone.

- No music or stimulating things either 2 hours before sleep, it keeps your nervous system going. Read a book or something, much better habit to get into.

- Supplement Melantonin is great and a natural substance for the body, non addictive and no side effects. Don't take above 1mg since above 0,5mg is even higher then what the body natural produces. The 5mg time release is fine though since it is all not released at once.

- Ashwagandha, herb that stabilizes cortisol levels in the evening and acts as a mild relaxant. Take it an hour before bed.

- L-Theanine, promotes alpha brainwaves to help you relax and wind down after a long day. This is great to relax and healthy in many ways more.

- Depending on your sleep cycle and how your cortisol levels fluctuate during the day you might want to exercise in either the morning or the evening to help sleep. You will have to try it out to see which one suits you. But exercise is needed in order to sleep well. You have to spend energy since you can not sleep saving it all up. All those extra calories you put in your stomach has to be spent or they will keep you up.

- Magnesium helps relax tense muscles, 300-400mg 2 hours before bed.


There is a bunch of other stuff that works for some other people also, like 5-htp. I prefer not to fuck with my serotonin to much and it never really worked for me for sleep.

That's a great post. I also have disrupted sleep.. I will fall asleep by 10 - 12 pm and wake at 4:00 am.. It sucks . I have sleep apnea and have to wear a device.

I find ZMA helps get me another 2 hrs of sleep a night. I still can't get 7 hrs and its been over two years now..Its impacting my health, sex drive and memory.

Do you find a warm bath also helps with sleep?

Hey Leon,

I have fought this battle for decades. I like my booze, but, have recognized that it has fucked my sleep up for a long time.

Going to sleep is never the problem, but, when the alcohol's carbs turn into sugar, I am wide awake. Typically, I will crash by ten or eleven and wake up between one and three or four O'clock, wide awake. I often cannot fall back to sleep until shortly before it is time to get up. Then I feel weak and drained when I do get up. Any type of booze; wine, beer, hard liquor, they all do it to me. Best thing for me to do is to not drink. Sleeping pills can help but you must figure out which ones work best for you and don't leave you feeling groggy the next day. I use them now and then.

I just had one glass of red wine last night and here I sit. Was up at 2:30,
it is presently 4:00 AM. I will now try to go back to bed until 6:00 AM.
Hope I'm not fucked again. Doesn't help staring at a bright computer screen! Ha, ha.

My old army buddy is an alcoholic and because if this he suffers from insomnia. When he doesn't quit drinking for a few weeks for a new years resolution he can sleep like a baby. To bad within a few weeks he is back to drinking again and can no longer sleep.

(01-06-2014 8:30 AM)as33156 Wrote:  My old army buddy is an alcoholic and because if this he suffers from insomnia. When he doesn't quit drinking for a few weeks for a new years resolution he can sleep like a baby. To bad within a few weeks he is back to drinking again and can no longer sleep.

This speaks volumes about the power alcohol has over a person. I deal with this on a smaller scale. I am not an alchy, but, I could be very easily if I was not aware of this fact. I purposely go on-the-wagon for several days to a week or two at a time, on a regular basis, just to check / test myself.
I have knowingly sacrificed countless (possibly thousands) of good nights of sleep over the years due to my desire to drink. Sad, really...
Drives productivity into the ground.