Quitting smoking & Insomnia

[ProgRapture]

I've always been a light sleeper, but these past two nights I have literally gotten no sleep whatsoever. As you can guess, I quit smoking around that time.

I know restlessness is part of the withdrawals, but even with cutting all caffeine, and using my fallback of melatonin, I can't sleep.

So my question is: Ex-smokers, how bad was your insomnia when quitting, and how long did it last for you?

If it's gonna be longer than four nights I might try hitting up my doc to see what he says.

[Simo98]

Quitting smoking is bad enough, but trying to quit both smoking AND insomnia, not that might be biting off more than you can chew...




Sorry, I couldn't help it when i read the title.


I get insomnia every now and then, its never for long as a normally sleep like a log, but every now and then I just get a week where I can't get to sleep, normally a big weekend where I get about 5 hours sleep all up fixes it

Good luck with quitting smoking, Its for the best in the long run.

[nic salsus]

I dunno how long it willlast but I'm day 4 tobacco free and it's almost 4am....same as last night.

[RWP]

Hang in there, it will be worth it. I quit 3 years ago and although I didn't have any sleep issues, it was the hardest thing I ever gave up.

[Kipaste]

I wish you luck. I suffer heavily from insomnia. Two hours a night is pretty good for me during the week and I do miss a night or two any now and then. I've also tried quitting smoking. That resulted in a jittery sleepless streak of five days. Spineless me gave up. I decided to wait for a longer vacation to try again so it doesn't totally wreck my working efforts.

Two things I will be doing the next time. One is a nicotine inhalator. Gum just makes me vomit, the patches are useseless but the nicotine inhalator seems to do it for me. It mostly a psychological thing though. The second is triple or quadruple the physical excercise to get me as tired as possible. I know the latter does very little to actually get me asleep, but it's worth trying.

[Cabazon]

The first time I quit, the insomnia lasted three days.
This second and last time quitting, I haven't had any insomnia, and overall, it's actually been pretty easy.

[ProgRapture]

Thanks guys, I didn't get a lick of sleep last night, but I'm on my third day which is supposed to be the worst, so here goes!

[who_sharted]

Originally Posted by ProgRapture

So my question is: Ex-smokers, how bad was your insomnia when quitting,

BAD.

Originally Posted by ProgRapture

and how long did it last for you?

6 Weeks.


Solution for me.... Alprazolam - Otherwise known as Xanax.

[Deluge Of Sound]

I found that a little bit of greenery did wonders to combat the insomnia.

[sloasdaylight]

It's weird with me and smoking.

At a gig. I'll usually smoke up a storm, but I won't touch smokes again for another 4-5 days after that, no problem. Thing with me though is that I am a night out just by habit, so I don't know if the nights I'm up till 2am are because I'm not smoking, or just because my body's used to it.

[UncleFluffy]

Did you quit cold turkey or are you tapering the nicotine with patches or gum?

[Jim Nazium]

Hang in there. Don't give up. You will save money, smell better, and feel much better. I don't recall having any insomnia issues when I quit cigs, but it was almost 25 years ago.

Getting a little exercise may help, even if it's just a walk around the neighborhood. Also, I've found it helpful not to read or watch TV in bed. Make you mind associate bed with sleep and nothing else.

HTH

[DeaconK]

I'm using Chantix and stopped smoking one month ago. No insomnia, no craving, no suicidal thoughts, no short temper. I was a smoker for over 40 years. I highly recommend Chantix! One pill in the morning for the first week and you can continue to smoke during that week. Second week, you stop smoking and take one pill in the morning and one at night with meals for two months. That's it!

[Deluge Of Sound]

Unless you go all ape**** and kill someone because of the side-effects.

[warwick.hoy]

I quit a year ago this month and I don't recall any insomnia. Not saying I didn't have any but if I; did it wasn't severe or long lasting enough to note. I'm sure it is different for everyone.

Try getting some exercise; even if it is just going on a long walk/hike. It probably seems silly but every time I had a craving while at home,...I got on the Wii Fit and did some exercising (push-ups, sit-ups, side-planks, etc as well as the yoga poses).

It helped with the boredom (which is usually what precipitated the cravings) and it got me off my ass,...which is important considering that quitting smoking often times results in weight gain (for better or worse).

Quitting smoking takes some self discipline so maybe consider an exercise regimen as part of that,...or more relevantly a daily meditation.

The insomnia must suck but don't let it discourage you. Quitting smoking is probably one of the smartest moves I've ever made.

[nic salsus]

Originally Posted by DeaconK

Chantix!

Replace one poison for another?
No thanks.

[MatticusMania]

I heard taking Valerian Root is a good cure for insomnia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_(herb)

[sarcastro83]

I went cold turkey... insomnia and cold sweats, here. Totally uncool.

It's worth it in the end, man. Things are gonna taste unbelievably great from here on out.

[ProgRapture]

Thanks again guys, I'm working on my third day and it's going better than expected.

And yeah, I'm already tasting and smelling things more intently than before, and it's nice.

[nic salsus]

Originally Posted by ProgRapture

Thanks again guys, I'm working on my third day and it's going better than expected.

And yeah, I'm already tasting and smelling things more intently than before, and it's nice.

You still on the wagon?
I fell off today. Smoked a couple and now I feel completely poisoned...really sick.
Reinforced why I gotta quit though. Resetting the counter back to Day 1 starting tomorrow.