Breaking out of binge drinking: how to overcome insomnia

Binge drinking carries many dangers. An alcoholic fog covers the whole world. A person stops evaluating his actions, does not see that he poses a danger to others, does not understand that he is destroying his body. It would seem that quitting the binge should bring relief, but that was not the case. An organism poisoned by excessive amounts of alcohol cannot enter a normal rhythm of life.

Insomnia after binge drinking is a side effect of withdrawal symptoms

One of the consequences becomes a real torment - sleep disturbance. Insomnia after heavy drinking is exhausting and brings nightmares instead of relief. Why this happens and how to deal with it is necessary for anyone who has encountered binge drinking to know.

Sleeping after a binge

Insomnia after a long binge has many shades. Trying to sleep, instead of resting, brings fatigue. A person asks the question: “Why can’t I sleep?”, and does not receive an answer. How to fall asleep after a binge, and why does the body behave so inappropriately? The fact is that alcohol has been affecting the brain for too long, the nervous system is overexcited, and it needs help to calm down.

The hardest thing to survive is 4 days after continuous drinking. There may be nightmares, hysterics, aggression or apathy. An alcoholic will feel like the whole world is to blame for him. He will always try to rest and complain: “I want to sleep, but I can’t sleep.” This behavior is a side effect of the withdrawal symptoms that result from quitting alcohol. At this moment, it is advisable to help the person so that, under the influence of nightmares, he does not reach for the bottle again.

How does insomnia manifest after quitting alcohol?

There are several types of post-binge insomnia:


You can’t shrug it off if a person complains of being unable to sleep after a binge. It is necessary to help him restore sleep, and if necessary, even consult a doctor for intoxication.

Cause of Alcoholic Nightmares

Alcohol not only disrupts the process of falling asleep, but also distorts the transition from slow to fast sleep. The rapid phase of sleep does not occur, because of this the dream becomes difficult and intrusive. An alcoholic regularly has nightmares because his nervous system is upset. Either he is tormented half the night by the question: “Why can’t I sleep?”, or he wakes up in a cold sweat from the horror he has experienced. A good psychologist can lead a person to the idea that he can influence the quality of his sleep by quitting drinking.

Medical solution to the problem

When thinking about the question of how to fall asleep after a binge, you should not self-medicate. Uncontrolled use of sedative sleeping pills can be very dangerous. It is best to consult a doctor to relieve post-alcohol psychosis. Many times a day, a narcologist hears from patients the complaint: “I can’t sleep,” and knows exactly how to deal with it.

To restore sleep, relieve the patient of nightmares that he regularly has, calm his nervous system, and eliminate alcohol poisoning, the doctor may prescribe detoxification. This is a dropper with glucose, sodium chloride, sedatives and other components that cleanses the blood. Most often, after such a drip, an alcoholic is able to fall asleep almost immediately, and he does not have nightmares.

In order to relieve post-alcohol psychosis, you need to see a doctor.

In large cities, such assistance can be called to your home or received at a specialized clinic. In addition to cleansing the blood, after a binge, be sure to restore the balance of fluids in the body and drink a course of vitamins B and C.

Safely combat insomnia

At home, a person is somewhat limited in the means of combating insomnia. What to do if you can’t sleep or have nightmares? First of all, you need to help the body cleanse itself of alcohol toxins. Drink as much fluid as possible. Mineral water, kefir, fermented baked milk, and sour juices are well suited. Why is it important? Thus, toxins are eliminated through the kidneys with urine, and through the skin with sweat.

Particular attention should be paid to nutrition. Prepare light broths and soups, add some fruits and vegetables to your diet to stimulate bowel function. You can take several sachets of Smecta. Activated carbon is acceptable.

Choose medications for headaches and joint pain with great care. Let these be the drugs that are familiar to you. It is better to avoid new products so as not to provoke an allergic reaction. Before going to bed, it is advisable to go out into the air. A leisurely walk in the park will be very beneficial.

Folk remedies

Folk recipes can also tell you how to fall asleep after a binge. The experience of traditional medicine in this matter can be very useful. Instead of tea, especially in the evening, you can make decoctions of soothing herbs. Melissa, thyme, mint, individually or together, will help calm your nerves and relax.

At home, you can use decoctions of soothing herbs

You can prepare pumpkin drink at home. Boil the finely chopped pumpkin a little and rub through a sieve. Add boiled water and honey. This remedy helps the body enter a normal rhythm of work, which helps normalize sleep.

It is always worth remembering that honey has long been considered the best remedy for insomnia. After a binge, add it to water, milk or herbal drinks. It is especially important to drink the honey “solution” before bed.

A good folk method for getting rid of drunken insomnia is decoctions of dried hops. A few teaspoons are poured into a glass of boiling water and allowed to brew. This remedy must be taken 3 times a day for at least 1 week.

If a person has a healthy heart and blood vessels, then you can take a steam bath. Otherwise, a relaxing thyme bath will do. The herbal decoction is added to warm water; the procedure should last no more than 30 minutes. Immediately after this you need to go to bed and turn off the light. It is advisable to sleep with the window open.

The main advice for getting rid of insomnia, which will be given by both a qualified doctor and a traditional healer, is to give up alcohol abuse. Take care of your health, because it will be very difficult to recover.