Everyone has heard the old wives' tale about having a nightcap to help you fall asleep. Numerous books and movies have glorified the concept of having a little bit to drink before bed, portraying it as the ideal relaxing technique.
I‘d suggest a „pause“. Just see how long you can make it. It takes the „I can never do x again“ pressure away and makes it a lot easier to keep off something. Did the same with smoking.
Have you tried yoga/meditation? I make breathing exercises if stuff gets rough. Either awake or when I want to fall asleep. I count breaths in and out. When I come to 100 I start over. My brain calms down at repetitive stuff and i get tired.
You didn’t mention exercise before but I do weight lifting and various forms of cardio. I’m in very good shape physically but those do not help at all with my sleep. Medication requires going to a doctor and that’s too expensive.
Why is that no surprise to me? The american dream these days to me feels like „I hope I can make it before I become seriously sick or injured.“
I suppose you have no way of getting insurance or some program to help you? Because self medicating with alcohol is pretty brutal for your health over time.
I have insurance but every time I go to a doctor they always still manage to make it cost 100+$ and thanks to their incomprehensible medical billing codes I don’t even have a way to budget for it if they decide to do some test that costs a lot and insurance comes back saying it’s not covered after the fact.
I’m mitigating the alcohol thing by only using it in majorly stressful times. Normally I don’t drink as much.
I‘d suggest a „pause“. Just see how long you can make it. It takes the „I can never do x again“ pressure away and makes it a lot easier to keep off something. Did the same with smoking.
Have you tried yoga/meditation? I make breathing exercises if stuff gets rough. Either awake or when I want to fall asleep. I count breaths in and out. When I come to 100 I start over. My brain calms down at repetitive stuff and i get tired.
I do breathing exercises and they do help a little but not usually enough to get to sleep or stay asleep.
So no exercise at all? Thats a pretty important part imo.
Have you considered or tried medication?
You didn’t mention exercise before but I do weight lifting and various forms of cardio. I’m in very good shape physically but those do not help at all with my sleep. Medication requires going to a doctor and that’s too expensive.
Whoops. I did include it mentally but as I see now I didnt actually say it. Sorry.
Very tough situation you‘re in. What country do you live in?
U.S.
Why is that no surprise to me? The american dream these days to me feels like „I hope I can make it before I become seriously sick or injured.“
I suppose you have no way of getting insurance or some program to help you? Because self medicating with alcohol is pretty brutal for your health over time.
I have insurance but every time I go to a doctor they always still manage to make it cost 100+$ and thanks to their incomprehensible medical billing codes I don’t even have a way to budget for it if they decide to do some test that costs a lot and insurance comes back saying it’s not covered after the fact.
I’m mitigating the alcohol thing by only using it in majorly stressful times. Normally I don’t drink as much.
Thats quite horrifying. Sorry you have to go through that.