Do you get enough shuteye or do your feet drag when you wake up in the morning? Getting enough sleep in recovery is important. Sometimes it can be difficult to get to sleep. It takes your body a few years to fully recover from addiction. This can cause problems like anxiety or insomnia.
Recovery can be an exciting time, especially in your first few years of getting clean and sober. Many people who have experienced addiction or mental health disorders feel like they have a new lease on life once they’ve begun recovery. It may feel like you need to make up for lost time. There are so many aspects of your life to work on, and so many new things you probably want to try!
Easy Does It
You may be very dedicated to working your recovery program. That’s a good thing! However, you didn’t become addicted in one night. There’s no way you can finish all 12 steps in one night, either. You may be enthusiastic but you’ve got to pace yourself in life in order to create a good foundation for your recovery.
You may be tempted to find a way to do something all day and most of the night. Making yourself busy is a great way to fill your time. After all, if you went to drug treatment you probably had a schedule for every minute of the day. This helped you focus on your recovery. But today, you have responsibilities again.
You need to perform well at your job, which means you need to get enough sleep. You also need to eat more healthy foods, work on your recovery program, and start to learn other healthy habits like better communication.
What About Free Time?
Once you’ve entered the day-to-day world again, you’re going to have some free time. That free time belongs to you. Just remember that life in recovery is about taking care of yourself. Don’t spread yourself thin.
Working at a job again and keeping to your 12-step meetings and other appointments can be tiring. Sleep should be scheduled into your evening every night. It’s not “free time”; it’s the time your body needs to replenish your reserves.
Getting Better Rest
If you suffer from insomnia or occasional racing thoughts, try to make exercise a part of your daily routine, but don’t exercise at night. The adrenaline can keep you awake. If you have trouble getting to sleep, avoid laying in bed with your phone. Use your bed for sleep only. Make sure you have a routine every night that signals to your brain you’ll be going to bed soon. (For example: take a shower, put on your night clothes, plug your phone in your charger…)
If you want to start better habits, living in recovery housing may be the right step for your recovery. Living among people with the same goals and experiences can help you schedule your time wisely, including sleep! Please browse our directory to learn more about your options.
