Being inactive addiction for a long period, a person develops bad behaviors. Part of that is not properly taking care of themselves. Addicts can go long periods without eating and sleeping properly and participate in other self-destructive behavior. Once individuals decide to seek treatment, they have to re-learn good self-care habits to get better. Recovering from a substance abuse disorder is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. 
The Effects Of Not Getting Adequate Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is one of the most important things a person can do for their overall health. Being deprived of sleep can cause several negative health consequences, and an individual’s physical and mental health can suffer significantly without it. Some of the most common problems of not getting adequate sleep can include: higher stress, mood swings, trouble concentrating, anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, inability to control emotions, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, lowered immune system, increased risk of obesity, and risk of chronic illness. Sleep deprivation can also lead to cognitive impairments. An adult needs at least 7 hours of sleep each night consistently to remain healthy.
How Sleep Affects Addiction Recovery
Many people don’t realize how much inadequate sleep can affect their lives, especially someone in recovery from addiction. Not getting enough sleep can worsen mental health symptoms, leaving an addict more vulnerable and increasing their risk of failure. The National Institute of Health Medical hypotheses “Sleep Disturbance as a Universal Risk Factor for Relapse in Addictions to Psychoactive Substances” reports:
Current research suggests that sleep disturbances among persons who are recovering from alcohol addiction and have a sleep disturbance are at an elevated risk of relapse compared to those without a sleep disturbance. Given common neurobiological and psychosocial processes in sleep and addictive behaviors, we believe this sleep-related relapse risk for alcohol generalizes to all other types of psychoactive substances. In formalized terms, we hypothesize that persons recovering from an addiction to any psychoactive substance and who have a sleep disturbance are at an increased risk of relapse compared to those without a sleep disturbance. In other words, sleep disturbance is a universal risk factor for relapse in addiction to all psychoactive substances. For this hypothesis, a sleep disturbance refers to any problems involved with falling asleep, staying asleep, distressing dreams, or inability to progress through normal stages of sleep. (NIH)
The body heals best while sleeping, so getting an adequate amount of sleep each night is important to sustain a person’s recovery and prevent relapse.
Getting Adequate Sleep in Addiction Recovery
Sleep is crucial to help the healing process. Here are some tips that may help you get enough shut-eye each night. First, get on a schedule and stick to it. This means going to bed at the same time each night and getting up at the same time each morning. Try destressing and doing calming exercises before bed. Turn off all electronics an hour before bed, take a warm bath, meditate, or read a book. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime, and try to avoid caffeine or nicotine, as all of these can keep you awake. Lastly, make your bedroom a calming space. Don’t use it to work or watch TV; use it for sleep only.
Call Now For Priority Admission to Our Addiction Treatment Programs
Evoke Wellness at Miramar offers cutting-edge addiction treatment programs. Our facilities in South Florida are committed to helping clients throughout the whole treatment experience. Our premier medical detox will help you comfortably get through the detox process and onto residential treatment under our professional care. So you don’t have to suffer any longer. Let Evoke Wellness at Miramar assist you on the road to long-lasting recovery. Call us today.
