Long term effects of methamphetamine on sleep patterns

[shroomster]

SWIM used (most often smoked) crystal on a daily basis for about 4-5 months and quit cold turkey somewhat recently, but his sleeping pattern still hasn't gone back to normal. he tends not to become tired until he's been up for about 20 hours, then he'll sleep for 12 to 15. is this because it hasn't all cleared out of his system? can he ever be up for 16 hours and sleep for 8 like he used to? can staying in this sleeping pattern do further dammage to his brain?

[cosmicruler]

try taking L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP a couple hours before swiy wants to sleep...try eating healthy and exercising and drinking alot of water....

swim was also addicted to meth for a few years(smoking daily) and has been clean for over a year now,wasnt easy but swim just managed to keep swims mind busy and excerising ALOT....
If swiy cant regulate swiy sleep pattern then maybe swiyshould consult a medical professional...

[ThirdEyeFloond]

SWIY doesn't state when he quit, but the drug should be long gone from his system. Sleep patterns may take a while to get back to normal, this doesn't show SWIY has taken any damage as such, it just takes a while. SWIM had trouble getting into a reasonable daily rhytm at a time, he would easily be awake all night and be somewhat drowsy all day, trying to sleep during the day but mostly failing which made him exausted and even more sleep deprived at night, but he still couldn't sleep. He's not sure if this was due to his prior stimulant habbits but he guesses so. It took him a long while to get back into a 'normal' pattern, forcing himself to get up at a certain time and getting to bed at a certain time, even though he wasn't always sleepy helped. In the evening if he didn't feel like sleeping at all a half an hours excersize seemed to do the trick, not necesaryly hard excersize just a quick walk in the woods, cathing some fresh air, would help him fall a sleep afterwords. If ya sleep patterns is screwed it will take a while to fix, what's important is that it is fixable, and SWIY will eventually fall into his old rhytms againg. SWIY says he can sleep for 12-15 hours at a time, DAMN, I envy SWIY he has a good sleeping heart, SWIM can't remember when he last got just 8 hours of sleep. So there's definately nothing wrong with SWIY physically, it's just a pattern out of order, cuz the body is so brilliant at coping with diff. environments, it has learned that SWIY is active at night, and reacts towards that, it'll take a while for it to learn that SWIY now sleeps in a normal manner like the majority of his species. But, it'll get there in time, never underestimate the body's coping mechanisms.

Reputation Comments on this post:

great post.

[shroomster]

SWIM has only been clean for about a week, and temptation is strong (especially when those around SWIM smoke and continually offer), but SWIM has a great deal of willpower, as well as a beautiful woman to keep him from using again.

thank both of SWIY for the advice and reassuring words

[~lostgurl~]

First off congratulations on quitting, the first few month will be the hardest but if you can get through them things will start to get better.

As for your sleep issues, you could try melatonin, it is a natural sleep aid that helps adjust your circadian rhythm so that you sleep at night and wake during the day. Often with heavy methamphetmine use a person will stay up all night long which disturbs the circadian rhythm in a way that is similar to both jet lag and changing time zones. It does not make you feel drugged like prescription sleeping pill but eases you back into a normal sleep pattern. It is also non-addictive so is a great alternative for a recovering addict.

Also Thirdeyefloond is correct advising exercise, even a small amount can tire your body out and often the mind will follow.

[shroomster]

SWIM tried excercising, and was disgusted at the digression that has occurred. before using meth, SWIM could run 4 miles without stopping, now he can hardly run half a mile without having to stop and pant. i'm sure most of it has to do with the meth build-up on SWIM's lungs, causing less efficiency of the lungs and diminishing the capacity of the lungs. SWIM is afraid to try lifting weights again, because not only have his muscles gone down in size, but his loss of strength is noticeable. however, he will try tomorrow, and try to make a habit of it again.

is a prescription required to get melatonin? if so, what should i tell my doctor to get it prescribed?

[~lostgurl~]

You can find melatonin in health stores in America. Where I live it is prescription only. Take 2mgs an hour or 2 before bed. Others may suggest less or more time before bed, and dosage is different for everyone also, but this is what worked for my gurl.

[Panthers007]

One other nugget of advice & council: It took a long time for SWIM to become habituated to methamphetamine. It stands to reason that SWIM's body will take awhile to re-adjust to normal conditions. So ride the proverbial Tiger.

Swim: Keep going, you're almost home.