Man sleeping with feet hanging off the bedWhether your drug of choice was a stimulant, a depressant, or some combination of the two, it’s likely your sleep has been out of whack for quite some time prior to recovery. Staying up for days, passing out, nodding off—none of these give the brain the time it needs to reset itself.

While getting a good night’s sleep might not initially rank high on the list of priorities in early sobriety, it is a critical component to relapse prevention.

Is Insomnia Predictor of Potential Drug/Alcohol Relapse?

Studies have shown that insomnia specifically may be a predictor of relapse. Getting both good sleep and enough sleep can help ensure someone new to recovery is better equipped to retain new information, resist triggers and urges, and make better decisions.

Like a cell phone charging at night, our bodies, and more specifically, our brains need that same kind of nightly charge. The brain, which can use nearly a quarter of the body’s total energy each day, needs time to install new software, run new updates, and then power down to refill its battery.

Without that time each night to accomplish those tasks, the brain and body lag, becoming less capable of doing even the most basic tasks. Sleep—good sleep—plays an important role in a person’s day-to-day ability to function well.

What the Brain Does While You Sleep

“A busy brain creates a lot of debris,” says Dr. Jan A. Mayer, a Nashville-based psychiatrist and expert on addiction. “During sleep, that’s cleaned up. If there are toxins, that can be addressed during sleep. It’s like the waste management of the brain. You’re cleaning your brain and charging your brain’s batteries. You’re also consolidating memories.”

While you’re sleeping, the brain takes all the information collected throughout the day and condenses it into the most useful bits. It files the important pieces away and discards the rest. For someone in early recovery, especially someone in treatment who is participating in groups and one-on-ones, the ability to retain the information learned each day is linked to restful sleep.

It’s the opposite of pulling an all-nighter or cramming for a test; the brain needs those uninterrupted hours of sleep to process information and file it away for future use.

Getting enough sleep improves decision-making

As new information about how to live life sober is cataloged in the brain, it can be recalled with greater ease when confronted with a trigger or urge to drink or use. Getting enough sleep prepares the brain to make better decisions. “ your executive functioning doesn’t work as well,” says Dr. Mayer. “In other words, your brakes aren’t as good.” For a newly sober person, good brakes are vital to preventing relapse.

But getting sleep in early sobriety, and thus creating the brain space needed to practice new and better habits, isn’t always easy. Insomnia, anxiety, depression, too much caffeine, new routines, and even boredom can all contribute to a night of tossing and turning. So Dr. Mayer shares with his clients about the importance of good sleep hygiene, the habits practiced to develop more restful sleep.

Tips for getting better sleep

  • Aim for seven or more hours of sleep each night.

“Less than seven is almost never enough,” says Dr. Mayer. “For every unit of energy you use that needs to be made up.” If you’ve fallen behind on your sleep, says Dr. Mayer, the best thing to do is get back on a normal sleep schedule as soon as possible.

  • Wake up and go to bed at the same times.

Yes, even on weekends. Each person’s body is governed by its circadian rhythm, an internal 24-hour body clock that helps regulate sleeping and waking hours. This rhythm functions best when we set and stick to consistent times to rise and to head to bed.

  • Get outdoor light in the morning.

Exposure to sunlight early in the morning helps kickstart the part of the circadian rhythm that alerts the body to a wakeful state. “It’s really important to pay attention to light, getting it in the daytime and protecting yourself at night,” says Dr. Mayer. 

  • Limit electronics in your sleeping area.

All the lights and flashes gadgets emit disrupt the body’s natural 24-hour clock, introducing light during times when there should be none. “You don’t want any electronics in your sleeping area. Television is not as bad as other electronics, but it’s still problematic. All that stuff needs to go in a different room,” advises Dr. Mayer. 

  • Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.

Good sleep is often a byproduct of having the most sleep-friendly environment possible. This means eliminating unnecessary lights and noise and keeping your bedroom cool. During the deepest sleep, the core body temperature is at its lowest. Dr. Mayer advises keeping the bedroom cool enough to require a cover, helping the body reach its cool core temperature more quickly.

  • Move non-bedroom activities out of the bedroom.

Working, studying, watching TV, even reading can be detrimental to your sleep when you do it in bed. Eliminating non-bedroom activities from your sleeping space helps reduce the risk of the brain associating those tasks with the bedroom.

  • Exercise (but don’t give up sleep to do it).

Not only can exercise make for better sleep at night, it can also help fight boredom in those early days of recovery when new (and better) habits are being formed but routine is still relatively unfamiliar. Dr. Mayer advises, however, that sacrificing sleep to make it to an early morning workout is counterproductive, and both your sleep and your workout could suffer. According to Dr. Mayer, the best time to exercise is between 4 o’clock in the afternoon and 6:30 at night when muscle strength and body temperature are at their highest, blood pressure and heart rate are at their lowest, and reaction time is quickest.

 

It can take some time, especially in early recovery, to establish a healthy sleep routine. But after a couple of days at Discovery Place’s 30-day program, many guests will find their sleep better than it’s been in years. A consistent wake up time, natural daylight first thing in the morning, a daily schedule, access to exercise equipment, and distraction-free sleeping help our guests find their way to better sleep, one day at a time. And better sleep can help pave the way to better recovery.

OR

Testimonials

  • Discovery Place was the answer for my son. He did the 90 day and then the step down program and sober living. We give this organization 10 stars. They met my son where he was …emotionally, mentally, physically. They helped him put his life back on track. Discovery Place employees care about their guests. If your son, brother, nephew, grandson or husband needs excellent supportive care THIS is indeed the facility.

    Kim Morton
    Alumni Parent
  • I have remained sober and it is because of DP. DP is the best place there is, hands down. I keep everyone there in my prayers, and I encourage everyone there to take what they are practicing and do it in their lives, after.

    Roy Mantelli
    Alumni
  • Over the past year, I’ve been putting into actin what Discovery Place taught me, and I have experienced a complete perspective change of the world, and the people in it. I get to be a man of service and love today, and for that I am grateful to Discovery Place.

    Matt Kassay
    Alumni
  • Discovery Place means the world to me. They showed me the tools that I’ve tried to use everyday in my life to think less often of myself, and more frequently of others. I am learning to lend a hand when I am able and to have a honest and humble relationship with God and the people around me. Not only am I clean and sober, but also I am happy and fulfilled.

    Tommy Parker
    Alumni
  • Discovery Place and the men who work there made recovery attractive, and more importantly, fun. There is strength in the struggle. I am forever grateful for my time at Discovery Place.

    Creed McClellan
    Alumni
  • When I got to Discovery Place my whole life was in shambles, but I didn’t know it. I spent 6 months in their programs, participating in all three phases, and was met with kindness and love all along the way. It is unbelievable to me, where I am now relative to where I was when I arrived at DP.

    Lance Duke
    Alumni
  • I can never say enough good things about Discovery Place and the people who work there. Before checking in to DP, I was out of options and out of answers. Fortunately, Discovery Place has a solution. Taking suggestions from the staff at DP saved my life, and as a result, I’m now more content and hopeful about life. I’m grateful for Discovery Place showing me how to live a healthy life so that I can become a better man and help the next guy.”

    Tyler Buckingham
    Alumni

    Thinking About Rehab?

    Learn More About Our Alternative Residential Recovery Programs

      Alternative Drug & Alcohol Treatment Rehab
    • Admissions
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Talk to someone about your options

      Talk to someone about your options

      Blue Pig Media