The Importance of Sleep to Your Sobriety, Physical and Mental Health
Napping Helps Reduce Brain Shrinkage?
Okay, now that I have your attention, let’s talk about the importance of sleep and why it is important to recovery and may help prevent relapse.
I love to sleep, dream, and even snuggle in bed with my dog when she is frightened of a storm. I also love the mornings when I wake up naturally and there is no rush to get out of bed. On these days, I always feel like I have started my day off with a “win.”
But I feel like good sleep is also an important part of my recovery program, and I want to address sleep, recovery, and relapse prevention.
What is Good Sleep?
I propose that the definition of good sleep varies greatly from one person to another. But in general, let’s list some of the basic characteristics of good sleep.
It is restorative, so when you get out of bed, you do not continue to feel tired after awakening, and you feel rested throughout the day.
It should be uninterrupted. This allows the brain to cycle through REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM sleep.
It should be consistent. A regular sleep routine is beneficial for helping your body run efficiently and adapt to unexpected occurrences throughout the day.
Why is Good Sleep Important?
Sleep impacts productivity and concentration. During sleep, the body supports brain function by enhancing its ability to support existing neural pathways, repair damaged ones, and flush out waste products.
Sleep affects the body through hormones. When people are sleep-deprived, they do not experience the increases in cortisol that occur in response to stress and that are needed to allow growth hormones to help heal injuries and muscle strain.
Sleep impacts body weight, blood pressure, and heart health. Sleep helps repair and restore the body.
A healthy night’s sleep supports normal growth and development, especially in children and teens.
“Does Napping Help Reduce Brain Shrinkage?
I think it is only fair for me to discuss the click-bait title before I move on to the body of this blog. In fact, a study was done jointly by the University of College London and the University of the Republic in Uruguay. It was published in the Journal of Sleep Health, and it demonstrated that in persons ages 40-69, those who napped on a regular basis had a greater total brain volume, which is associated with a lower risk of dementia and other diseases. ”
What is the Correlation Between Sleep and Addiction?
This question might as well be for many: which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did having problems with sleep contribute to addiction, or did the use or misuse of drugs lead to sleep disturbances? Some drugs act as stimulants… like cocaine and amphetamines, making it near-impossible for the mind to relax when under the influence. Insomnia is a common withdrawal symptom when people come off these substances. Other drugs like marijuana, Ambien, and alcohol act as depressants and can aid in falling asleep but make you feel tired and sleepy upon waking and can cause a dependence on these substances to fall asleep.
For much of my adult life, I have struggled with insomnia, falling asleep, and staying asleep. Toward the end of my active addiction, I was prescribed Ambien to help me sleep. It was one of the many ways that I used to deny that I was an alcoholic. I thought that if I could sleep better, my stress would decrease, and I might be able to limit my drinking. I thought it was working, but little did I know that even though I believed I was better able to control the use of alcohol, I began having blackouts from combining even a little amount of alcohol with Ambien. I also later learned that my use of Ambien directly sabotaged my efforts at sobriety because the Ambien continued to trigger my cravings for alcohol.
The problems with using Ambien or alcohol to fall asleep also include;
These drugs can be addictive and lead the body to rely on the medication to fall asleep.
Ambien can be an amnesiac; there are a multitude of stories that people share about how they did things on Ambien that they never remember, including eating, making phone calls, and even driving cars.
The sleep you get with alcohol is not restorative and can actually cause insomnia. After a few hours of sleep as alcohol can cause you to wake up and have a difficult time going back to sleep.
Upon waking, you may still feel groggy or have to turn to caffeine or other stimulants to keep feeling functional or normal.
There are a number of research studies that demonstrate how sleep deprivation impacts our physical and mental health, but The National Institute of Health has recently reported on research being conducted on the correlation between sleep, hormone production, stress, opioid misuse, and addiction. The theory is that the hormone cortisol, which is important to sleep regulation, might be involved in drug misuse and addiction. When you are sleep deprived, your body has a decreased ability to create cortisol and thus deal with stressors that might trigger opioid use.
Frustratingly, many in early sobriety are affected by sleep deprivation, disturbances in our sleep cycles, and sleep apnea, which may make it harder for addicted people to stay sober. Our brains have become used to relying on an artificial resource to relax, shut off cyclical thinking, or fall asleep. When we remove alcohol, drugs, or addiction, it takes our brain time to learn to produce its own natural hormones again and develop sleep patterns.
Relapse Prevention and Sleep Deprivation
I propose that sleep deprivation is a contributing factor in relapse, especially in early sobriety, because:
Sleep deprivation negatively affects our willpower and ability to control emotions.
Early sobriety is often a stressful and emotional period where we are forced to face challenges that we have been avoiding, feelings that we have suppressed, or just having to face the reality of the damage our addiction has created.
Sleep deprivation negatively impacts decision-making, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Old patterns of behavior and habits are still our instinctual responses to triggers.
New coping skills and healthier habits have not been established yet.
So, what can we do?
Some medications like Trazodone are prescribed for recovering individuals. Still, I typically recommend creating and developing a sleep hygiene routine to aid your body in naturally falling asleep before you try medication. However, please consult your physician or addiction specialist on the best course of action for you.
“What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep hygiene refers to healthy habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that can be adjusted to help you sleep. Some sleeping problems are often caused by bad sleep habits reinforced over years or even decades. ”
Obstacles to adequate Sleep Hygiene
One of the best places to start in creating a healthy sleep atmosphere is to be aware of the following obstacles to healthy sleep and remove them.
Background noise.
Temperature extremes (too hot or too cold)
Uncomfortable bedroom.
Spending excessive time in bed.
Having irregular bedtimes.
Consuming 2 or more caffeinated beverages.
Non-active lifestyle.
Engaging in a stimulating activity prior to bedtime.
Tips for developing good sleep hygiene;
Keep a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
Limit the activities you do in bed to just sleeping.
Limit exposure to anxiety-inducing news or activities, like paying bills.
Exercise regularly and moderately during daylight hours.
Spend some time each day in natural sunlight or nature.
Practice a relaxing activity, e.g., reading a book, yoga, etc.
Avoid looking at your phone or checking emails 30 minutes before bedtime.
Do not have a bedtime snack. Avoid eating in the last 2 hours of the day.
Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine after noon.
Keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and at a comfortable, cool temperature
If you nap during the day, limit the nap to only 30 minutes
If you cannot fall asleep, get up and do a relaxing activity like reading or listening to music or a calming meditation in dim light.
Try listening to meditations or apps that are specifically directed at helping you fall asleep.
Get regular physical health check-ups and seek advice from a medical professional if your efforts are not successful.
Do not be afraid to ask for help.
“Try the 10-5-3-1-0 Sleep Tool
- 10 hours before bed: No more caffeine.
- 3 hours before bed: No more food or alcohol.
- 2 hours before bed: No more work.
- 1 hour before bed: (shut off all phones, TVs and computers).
- 0 The number of times you hit snooze in the morning.”
In Summary –
Improving your sleep hygiene, getting sufficient rest, and creating new lifestyle habits may take some practice and experimentation before you find what works best for you. For me, it meant that I had to prioritize sleep, make gradual changes, and set reasonable expectations for improvement. (After all, I have struggled with insomnia for a long time, so it was going to take a while for me to find and implement a new pattern of behavior that worked.). I also had to develop the insight and understanding that when I am tired, I am more prone to emotional ups and downs, stress, and triggers. So, I have learned to be a bit more gentle with myself, be self-compassionate, and avoid stress-inducing activities (like paying bills) when I am tired. Ultimately, a good night’s rest is not a luxury. It is a necessary part of a balanced recovery program that will help improve your physical and mental health and aid in relapse prevention.
Please share this with anyone you feel it can help, and take a few minutes to check out some of the other blog entries.
Sources
https://heal.nih.gov/news/stories/sleep-disruption-relapse
https://www..ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jun/regular-napping-linked-larger-brain-volume#:~:text=Daytime%20napping%20may%20help%20to%20preserve%20brain,the%20University%20of%20the%20Republic%20in%20Uruguay.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/divisions/division-lung-diseases/national-center-sleep-disorders-research
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/sleep-hygiene