Quit Weed-Been 4 Weeks- Can't Stay Asleep

You're right, one joint in 40 days is not bad at all but all I can offer you is my own personal experience that cutting down works for a while but gradually it creeps back up on you and before you know it, you're back to square one.

I've been there with cigarettes and spliff. During both my pregnancies, I didn't smoke at all and then with the best will in the world, I mean, who wants to smoke when there's a baby about? And who wants to set a bad example to their children? I started having the odd social one, and that led to a very slow increase over a number of months BUT it did end up back at the same rate as before.

I hope you don't go the same route, but I hate to say it my friend, chances are you will.

Hebes

I appreciate the words of caution, but I can tell you for sure I will not. Everything about it pretty much disgusts me at this point. If you could only know how much this lack of sleep thing is bothering me. Its affecting my bowels and everything.

Freed,
I was good the first week too. And exactly 7 days after I quit the withdrawal set in.
This is common. My best advice is magnesium, 500 mgs a day. Mine comes with calcium and zinc. When I woke up during the nite, I was pretty much able to go right back to sleep. I would have died without it. Of course some nites were better than others, and others a little more difficult. But it really helped me, and still does. I'll be 5 months on May 1st, and I still have an occasional detox related wakeup. Also, 5-HTP works for some people, but be very careful not to overdo it, it can have the opposite effect.
100 mgs works well for me. Good luck, I know it's hard, but if you stick with it, you'll
be so glad you did.
SusieQ

Freed wrote:t was more of a test to see what would happen/ what a full nights sleep would feel like. 1 joint in 40 days is not so bad right?

Don't know about that really - it really is a slippery slope. You make an allowance here and then you make an allowance there - next thing you know you are back in the full swing of it again. If you do want to quit just persevere - things improve dramatically in time.

I've finally gotten to the point where I don't need the nightly beer or two to fall asleep-I'm staying up later, getting up earlier and between eating better, working physically harder and being off the stuff for 38 days, I'm only waking up 1-2 times a night and going pretty much back to sleep. Try a higher fiber diet for the binding problem too. Hope this may help.......

Fibre works, yes. I've always eaten a good dosage of fibre, however I'm at the point where I think lack of sleep might be an even bigger issue. My BM's are all over the place really.

4 days since my last toke, either way. I did sleep for 5 hours last night, which is pretty good I guess.

In my previous quit attempts, i had trouble getting to sleep, although not as bad as you've described... two things are helping me this time:

1) caffeine (or rather, lack thereof)... caffeine has a half-life of about 5 hours, or something along those lines. make sure not to have any caffeine beverage (coffee, tea, cola, mountain dew if in USA, etc) about 5 to 6 hours before bedtime. i'm a coffee nut, so this is hard for me, i used to balance between a stoned/caffeinated state and getting used to going to bed without that has been annoying. but effective.

2) some kind of non-alcohol based sleep supplement. I'm taking omega-3 pills (1000 mg) and when needed, an herbal valerium pill (500mg). some google searching will find lots of information about these guys, with information for and against them, but personally i'm getting good results. try to take them 2 to 4 hours before bed, and apparently you don't want to take valerium for more than two weeks straight but it really helps me to relax and get to sleep, and it's from a natural source.

I don't use them every night, and I've been doing butt-kicking workouts at least three times a week (working out until you collapse is a good way to get tired for the night, and you get in shape too! but it's hard to fit in to your life depending on what you do in the evenings) and i'm able to get to sleep, and fall back asleep after waking, though i do wake about 3 or 4 times through the night.

i'm on day 14 now, the irritation is making me friggin crazy, but at least i'm able to get to sleep at get between 6 to 7 hours a night, and be functional at work the next day. Your milage may vary.

Anyway i haven't seen anyone else mention this, i think i actually got this tip from a forum post on this site but i'm not sure. Hope you're able to find something that works for you.

i am in the exact same boat. 31 days clean. can't sleep at all. going a little crazy. i fall asleep okay and then wake up a million times and feel like i'm not getting any good deep sleep. go through the day feeling a little shattered as a result. i miss sleeping! it's been days and days and days since i've felt rested.
i wish i could smoke, but i know smoking is the cause, not the solution, to this problem. i'm going to try a multivitamin and omega 3 fish oil tonight. and i've started exercising again.
wish me luck!
i have faith this will pass.
after 10 years of smoking, there has to be a detox phase and this is it.
good luck to you.
a.

Good luck to you, strengthtochange. You sure sound like you are dedicated to getting past this.

I'm somewhere near day 50 now and it's not getting all that better. Although I must admit it sure is helpful knowing that there are other people out there who are struggling with the same thing I am.

last night was a tad better. i took some omega 3 tablets and a magnesium. i'm also so exhausted from no sleep that maybe my body forced me to get a few hours. i'm nowhere near caught up. think i'm going to go for a run now in hopes that helps for tonight! good luck to you! keep me updated. i know it sucks. it must pass sometime - i really do believe.

I can fully recommend exercise. I do at least 30-60 minutes cardio (walking or jogging) every afternoon. This has replaced the relaxed state I got from smoking joints. The improved fitness levels have also given me the other obvious benefits like losing excess weight and better lung capacity.