So today is day one, I'm struggling. how do you get through the extreme exhaustion and fatigue. I'm talking I slept from 9:30pm until 5am this morning (that's about 4 more hours than I normally sleep) and I just took a power nap of 30 minutes at my break. How long does this last for? Someone tell me only a few days.
Gosh I am sorry that you are feeling so tired. I would advise that you get as much rest as possible. Eventually your body will get up to speed with the decision you have made to quit smoking. Congratulations on a day WON. Please read all of the suggested material. Stay close. Do not give up.
Welcome to EX, the sleeping thing lasts different lengths of time for different people and sometimes it is being very sleepy, sometimes it is difficulty sleeping. It isn't hurting anything, it's just your physical reaction to the withdrawal. You can speed up the withdrawal by drinking lots and lots of water and flushing your system. The physical withdrawal only lasts about three days but the psychological withdrawal lasts much longer. It is also entirely possible that you are feeling THAT, you are trying to escape into sleep instead of thinking about quitting smoking. Please remember that it gets easier and that you are HEALING. You are recovering from addiction and it takes time, be patient with the process and yourself. This is a journey, it is not an event. Do the reading that is available here and commit to staying quit, stay close to the site and read and blog and comment. You CAN do this. I suggest your read Youngatheart.7.4.12's recent blog For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too) Click on the link and also read jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007's blog What To Expect In The First Four Months Both are incredibly helpful.
Again, welcome.
Ellen
Congrats on your quit. It does get better. I am now two+ months quit and still plan for an 8+hr sleep, but have not needed a nap in a few weeks. I am glad to be sleeping at night, before I quit I was happy if I got 4hrs in a night. I did and still go for coffee more then I did before I quit, but even that is happening less.
Hold tight to your quit and visit EX often, I know this community is what helped made this my final quit.
Tabbie
Your body is using a lot of energy trying to clean out the toxins. I found that nicotine is a stimulant and a depressant for some of us. When removed the nicotine stimulant part goes away quicker than the depressant which can make you tired as well. Enjoy the sleep, your body is working hard and you will soon have more energy than ever!
Julie 65 DOF
Welcome and high five for day one. 9pm to 5am is a normal amount of sleep. I found as a smoker that I got use to a lousy diet, crappy sleep and playing life as though I were in a casino. At first in my quit, I missed the jazz of it all and thought I was broken. Turned out I didn't know how to-- easy does it but do it.
No matter your situation, please keep working on your quit, keep sharing your quit here at Ex.
I was like you. I slept 8-9 hours a night, and took a nap every chance I could for about 3 weeks. Wish I could tell you it was only a few days, but it does finally go away. Funny how it effects other people differently. Someone was just on here a week or so ago complaining they had hardly slept at all the first week of their quit. I think I'd rather have our problem than theirs.
Thanks for sharing... for me the first 3 three weeks I was sleeping off and on and then no sleep it all varied for me and for the first 90 days i stayed on this site in between sleeping or whatever i was going through not using nicotine to live for the first time in 38 years of using nicotine at the end of my using 50 cigs a day.... this is what happened to me.... my experience and after 90 days i learned to take what helps and let go of the rest to be helpful is my only aim... thank you for helping me stay quit with you today no matter what... keep on keeping on blog BEFORE you take that first puff over you... all this new learning was suggested to me in the beginning and i was willing to be willing not to take that first puff over me in Jesus name for me amen please take what helps and let go of the rest..... i keep coming back to help just like i was helped...freely given.
It really is only for a few days.....your body is in recovery mode, listen to the signals it sends. When you're tired, rest. It gets better, and gets bettet pretty fast. Hang in there!!
Thank you everyone! Yeah I took a nap and felt better and then downed a lot of water and kept busy for the day. It’s definitly hard but I am highly motivated to get it done this time. I went from a pack a day to nothing, doing this cold turkey because I can’t taper down it doesn’t work.
Thanks for all the motivation and positive words. I will be keeping it up!
Yay! It does get easier and you sound very motivated, so we will keep cheering you on! Happy New Year to you!
I slept tons for about two weeks. I was grateful to sleep, less time fighting the battle of the craves. Your body is on your side, it wants to get done with this addiction. It's healing you. Work with it. Remember, the craving is addiction talking, it doesn't care at all what it costs you. Your body does, listen to it. Just be careful of who has the microphone, addiction is sneaky sob. You're on you way! Congrats! Come here a lot!
You smoked for quite awhile, and it takes a bit for your body to adjust to life without the drug(s). I can't tell you exactly how long this will last, for everyone is different - but hopefully it will only be a few days. Get through them however you can.
I wrote a blog for the newly quit and asked for input from our community that you might find helpful: For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too)
Here's one on early withdrawal symptoms that you might find helpful, as well.A Repost - Early Withdrawal Symptoms.
Hang in there - it WILL get easier - I promise!
Nancy