I can’t sleep with a hangover, what should I do? How to sleep with a hangover and why do you have nightmares? Types of alcoholic insomnia

A hangover is a difficult condition for many. It is associated with the accumulation of a toxic substance in tissues and organs - acetaldehyde, which is formed during the oxidation of ethyl alcohol due to liver enzymes. Improvement usually occurs within 10–12 hours. This period is necessary to completely neutralize the aldehyde and convert it into acetic acid. Next, all dangerous substances are removed from the body and an improvement in well-being is observed.

During a hangover, a person feels quite bad. One of the common problems is lack of normal sleep. It is important to know how to restore normal rest patterns. This will allow you to maintain strength while removing toxic compounds from tissues and organs.

Causes of difficulty sleeping

A hangover syndrome is guaranteed if a person significantly exceeds the recommended dose of alcohol for him. This threshold is different for everyone. It depends on individual parameters - gender, weight, body type and innate metabolic rate. Do not forget that other factors will also influence your well-being - the strength of alcohol, the number of different drinks taken in one evening, food that plays the role of snacks.

If a person drinks too much, then the excess ethanol that enters the digestive tract and then spreads throughout the body is transformed into a large amount of acetaldehyde. This provokes a severe hangover, which can be determined by such external signs as:

• headache;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• strong feeling of thirst;
• tremor of the limbs.

All these symptoms indicate physical poisoning with acetaldehyde, but a person with a hangover is also plagued by other difficulties. Thus, the entire nervous system reacts sharply to the presence of toxic substances, which is manifested by increased irritability, nervousness and sudden mood swings.

In addition, difficulties with sleep are often observed. Attempts to lie down to rest do not end in success. Experts name several reasons for such difficulties. You definitely need to know them in order to understand how easy it is to fall asleep with a hangover.

Delusions and hallucinations are observed against the background of headaches. Of course, in such a state there cannot be full sleep.

All of the above reasons for difficulty sleeping during a hangover make it clear that you cannot count on normal rest until the causes of deterioration in well-being are completely eliminated. This means that you will be able to fall asleep only when most of the toxic acetaldehyde has been eliminated from the body. However, there are ways that can help speed up this process.

What can't you do?

Doctors warn that when you have a hangover, you should be especially careful when taking various medications.
So, any sleeping pills are dangerous. Their active ingredients in combination with ethyl alcohol can lead not only to deterioration of health, but also to death. At best, a person who takes such pills will develop:

• headache:
• hallucinations;
• confusion;
• tachycardia.

Strong sleeping pills are appropriate if there is not even a trace of ethyl alcohol left inside the body. With a hangover, it is difficult to say how much of this substance has been oxidized to acetaldehyde at a particular point in time. It is for this reason that even with insomnia it is better to refrain from any drugs with a hypnotic effect. This will save a person's life.

Approved medications

You shouldn't suffer from insomnia. Experts know that there are safe drugs that are allowed even with high concentrations of acetaldehyde in the blood and tissues. As a rule, these are sedatives, usually used as sedatives.

The best remedy for improving sleep during a hangover is motherwort tincture. It has a mild sedative effect, which makes it relatively safe. It is enough to take ½ teaspoon internally and try to fall asleep. The product helps to calm down, relieves excessive irritability and nervousness.

Valerian tincture works in a similar way. The extract of this plant is also available in tablet form. They are no less effective than the liquid form of the medicine.

Tinctures of motherwort and valerian are herbal medicines. They act gently and carefully, but can provoke allergic reactions, so it is important not to exceed the recommended dosages and, if possible, consult a doctor.

Specialized medicines for hangovers

It is important to find the real cause of insomnia before dealing with this symptom. If it lies in a headache or changes in blood pressure caused by intoxication, then it is best to take one of the specialized remedies to eliminate hangover syndrome. The list of especially effective ones includes:

• Alka-Seltzer;
• Zenalk;
• Drinkoff;
• Zorex.

Various herbal teas and infusions are also useful. It is best to use a mixture of herbs for a hangover. The following will be especially effective:

• chamomile;
• thyme;
• sage;
• yarrow;
• mint.

Experts advise mixing all the herbs in equal proportions, pouring boiling water over them, and then heating for 10–15 minutes. Later, the resulting liquid is filtered and cooled. They drink this decoction instead of tea. It is allowed to take about 150–200 milliliters at once.

The drink perfectly calms and relieves stress, helping you fall asleep after a hangover. In addition, herbs are useful for restoring the digestive system. Thus, chamomile promotes the healing of damage to the gastric mucosa due to irritation with aggressive ethyl alcohol. Sage and thyme are good for the liver. These herbs help speed up the regeneration processes of its cells.

Additional Methods

Don't forget about standard procedures to help fight insomnia. With a hangover, they do not lose their relevance. So, a person needs fresh air for proper rest. This means that the room must be thoroughly ventilated. A short walk won't hurt either, if your health allows it. The ideal place for this is a park or quiet square. To fall asleep easily, 20–30 minutes in the fresh air will be enough.

Many people note that significant improvement occurs after visiting the shower. It is important to take into account that the water should not be too hot. The ideal solution for a hangover is a short contrast shower. Many people find this procedure invigorating. It accelerates the process of removing acetaldehyde from the body, so its benefits are difficult to overestimate. After a shower, you need to carefully wipe your body and immediately go to bed. As a rule, after water procedures, a long and restful sleep occurs.

Another remedy to combat insomnia during a hangover is essential oils. Their vapors should be inhaled carefully. It is important to closely monitor the body's reaction. If suddenly the symptoms of acetaldehyde intoxication intensify, then it is better to refuse aromatherapy. If a person feels well, then oils can be safely used.

It is best to use a special aroma lamp. A candle is lit inside a ceramic bowl, and a small amount of water with a few drops of ether is poured into the upper hole. Traditionally, lavender oil is the best choice for insomnia. There is no need to inhale the vapors for a long time; just 10-15 minutes just before bedtime is enough.

What to do if you have nightmares?

The usual lack of sleep is not the only problem that a person with a hangover may face. Sometimes the nervous system is so excited that hallucinations, delusions and nightmarish, frightening dreams occur.
It turns out that a person falls asleep, but his sleep is constantly interrupted due to frightening pictures.

Experts explain that powerful sleeping pills are life-threatening, and light sedative tinctures are unlikely to relieve nightmares.

If none of the listed ways to fall asleep work, the best option would be to see a doctor. The narcologist will be able to speed up the patient’s recovery from a hangover. For this purpose, as a rule, droppers are placed, which allow intravenous administration of a powerful medicine. After this procedure, you usually feel better. The person from the clinic goes home and easily falls asleep.

If this measure does not help, and even after a day the patient is bothered by insomnia due to nightmares, then medications and folk remedies cannot be used. In this case, a visit to a psychotherapist is indicated. An experienced doctor will determine the cause of frightening dreams and determine treatment tactics. In this case, quick treatment is impossible. Sometimes you can completely get rid of nightmares only after a few months.

Doctors explain that difficulty sleeping is a common phenomenon in people who abuse alcohol constantly or once exceed the permissible amount. For mild insomnia, it is enough to ventilate the room and drink tea with lemon or a herbal decoction.

If the problem becomes serious, then you cannot do without the help of a specialist. The sooner a person complains to the doctor about difficulties falling asleep or nightmares, the sooner the normal functioning of the nervous system can be restored.

People who drink large amounts of alcohol often have trouble sleeping. After drinking, it usually develops. When a binge goes on for many days, a person feels tired and exhausted, and falling asleep becomes a considerable problem for him.

Insomnia after binge drinking lasts 7-10 days and can be accompanied by anxiety, fear, hallucinations, and lethargy, especially the first few days when the body needs recovery. Intermittent and restless sleep becomes the cause of neuroses, fears, and suicides. Let's try to figure out how to restore sleep after a binge and why this problem occurs.

Excessive ingestion of ethyl alcohol into the body begins to lead to disruption of the nervous system, liver, and disruption of circadian rhythms. For complete restoration of the body, it is necessary that during the night the process of sleep moves from the slow phase to the fast phase 3-4 times.

The appearance of energy and restoration of organ functions occurs during the slow phase of sleep. During this period, melatonin production and cerebrospinal fluid synthesis occur. With alcoholism, these phases are significantly reduced. Sleep becomes intermittent, which is why the body does not have time to perform all functions aimed at recovery. A person wakes up even from a slight noise or rustle. Due to alcohol poisoning and intoxication, the following begins:

• headache;
• hypertension;
• hallucinations of vision and hearing;
• feeling tired.

If there are chronic pathologies in the body, then they can worsen from alcoholic insomnia.

Opinion of a somnologist: “At first glance, it seems that alcohol itself is an excellent sleeping pill. Indeed, in small doses (50 g of strong alcohol) it allows you to relax and fall asleep. However, in large doses, alcohol has a stimulating effect and some time after falling asleep, sleep becomes interrupted and unrefreshing, and the morning will definitely not be good.
It is dangerous to mix alcohol and sleeping pills, or to drink alcohol before bed if you have snoring or sleep apnea. The above may end tragically.
My advice: do not use alcohol as a sleeping pill or as a sedative; it is better to consult a specialist.”

Somnologist.

Types of alcoholic insomnia

Taking into account the strength of poisoning and the health of the human body, insomnia after heavy drinking can be of different types:

• Problems falling asleep. “I can’t sleep with a hangover” is a standard complaint from people who have taken a large dose of alcohol. In the process of falling asleep for a long time, hypertension, anxiety, tachycardia, and myalgia begin. Long-term sleep problems can lead to severe overexcitability or fearfulness. There are categories of people who cannot fall asleep without alcohol, which only makes the situation worse.
• Restless sleep. The person often wakes up quickly and reacts irritably and nervously to everything.
• Complete insomnia. Such insomnia after alcohol occurs in the form of mental disorders. The person begins to see visions that lead to emotional disturbances. In its advanced state, insomnia from a hangover leads to severe nervous breakdown.

Important! Sleep disturbance occurs due to alcohol intoxication.

To find out how to fall asleep after binge drinking, you need to contact a qualified specialist. It will not be possible to quickly establish sleep, because... First you need to remove harmful toxins from the body, and this takes about 4 days.

Taking sedatives should only be done under the supervision of a physician. Under no circumstances should you take Valocordin or Corvalol 2-3 hours after drinking alcohol-containing drinks, because their toxicity increases and can cause liver damage.

Important! If you don’t want to treat this condition with medications, then insomnia after alcohol can be eliminated using conservative methods.

A contrast shower will help you cheer up. After 10 minutes, a person may feel significant relief. When intoxicated, the water balance is disturbed, so you need to consume more fluids. The more water enters the body, the more alcohol breakdown products leave in the urine.

Drinks that can help include water, mineral water, kefir, milk, kvass. Activated carbon also effectively relieves intoxication. The dosage is calculated in the ratio of 1 tablet: 10 kg. Activated carbon is a powerful absorbent, but it is better not to overdo it, because... Diarrhea and hypovitaminosis are observed as a side effect.

To know how to sleep with a hangover, you don’t need any special knowledge. The main thing that is needed from a person is to relieve the symptoms of a hangover, as well as prepare the body for recovery. Usually, in the morning after drinking, your head starts to hurt badly.

The following will help relieve pain:

• Aspirin;
• Mexidol;
• Zorex.

If you have a hangover, it is better not to drink Paracetamol and Citramon, because they negatively affect the liver.

During such a period, medications must be chosen very carefully so that in no case do its negative effects affect the liver. Sedatives and sleeping pills should be purchased only after a doctor’s prescription. This is especially true for some medications:

• Diphenhydramine;
• Valium Roche;
• Elenium.

Despite their wide spectrum of action, it is better to choose drugs with less effectiveness, but more gentle. As sedatives you can choose:

• Glycine;
• Afobazole;
• Novopassit;
• Motherwort;
• Biotredin;
• Valerian;
• Mexidol.

These remedies can be used in small doses before bedtime.

You should not think that after taking one pill a person will immediately fall asleep quickly. The effect and recovery will become noticeable after a few days.

• You cannot take sedatives and sleeping pills at the same time.
• Follow all medical instructions, correctly calculate the dosage and frequency of administration.
• Detoxify the body.

Important! Often people, thinking that activated carbon is harmless, drink it in unlimited quantities to combat intoxication. This cannot be done, because... Particles of the tablet entering the body take away not only toxins and harmful substances, but also vitamins, macro- and microelements, which is fraught with the appearance of other problems.

Table of medications for insomnia after heavy drinking:

For those who are interested in how to fall asleep after a binge at home, you can arm yourself with folk recipes. First of all, you need to take care of the nervous system, so calming herbs will help here:

• mint;
• Melissa;
• motherwort.

They can be used to make a decoction or attunement. They relieve fatigue and irritation well. If you can’t come to your senses with a hangover, then pickle juice will be an excellent drink. The more it gets into the body, the better.

Tea made from St. John's wort is an excellent drink to help relieve insomnia. The plant extract contains components that activate cerebral blood supply, soothe, and improve liver function. Regular black tea with a teaspoon of honey will also help you get out of a hangover. Such drinks not only restore the nervous system, but also improve overall health.

• cabbage;
• lemon;
• orange;
• tangerines;
• black and red currants;
• rose hip;
• bananas;
• carrot;
• plums

Important! To improve your metabolism, you can visit the bathhouse. But this procedure is not recommended for people with heart pathologies.

Hop cones can help get rid of insomnia. A tincture is made from them (2 tablespoons of plant material per 250 ml of water). You need to drink it 3 times after meals.

• After drinking a lot of alcohol, you need to drink milk.
• To relax and improve the functioning of the digestive tract, you can take a warm bath with thyme.
• A glass of kefir with honey will clear the fog in your head.
• A decoction of hawthorn will greatly facilitate falling asleep and also improve the functioning of all organ systems.

If a person has completely stopped sleeping for a long time due to alcohol, then you should consult a doctor.

Drugs you should not take while on a binge

Once ethyl alcohol enters the body, it takes quite a long time for it to be eliminated from the body. Therefore, to restore sleep, get rid of the harmful habit of drinking alcohol.

• Phenazepam (Tazepam) are powerful tranquilizers. Side effects of this drug include psychosis, depression, intellectual impairment, and memory problems. Without a doctor's prescription, this drug is extremely dangerous. This group of medications includes Relaninum, Elenium, Sebazon, Nozepam.
• Corvalol, Valoserdin and other drugs containing phenobarbital. Its consequences can lead to damage to the central nervous system, coma, and in severe cases, death.

Proper treatment is the key to health. Using the right medications will help you recover quickly and the person will be able to sleep normally.

It is known that sleep is the best medicine after drinking. But falling into oblivion is not always possible, especially if nausea and dizziness bother you. Even if you manage to fall asleep, the sleep turns out to be restless, brief and superficial. It does not bring relief and tortures me even more. If such a condition bothers a person for several days after prolonged drinking, the occurrence of delirium tremens is possible.

Often after drinking alcohol you want to sleep, but this is only if you haven’t drunk too much alcohol. With severe intoxication, they occur, and there is no time for sleep. All efforts are primarily aimed at cleansing the body, and after getting rid of the symptoms of intoxication, you should get a good night's sleep.

In chronic alcoholism, pathological insomnia occurs, which leads to exhaustion of the body and aggravation of the condition. Lack of proper sleep at night leads to drowsiness and apathy during the day. Moreover, unpleasant manifestations can persist for a certain time after a person has given up alcohol.

Experts note that sleep problems occur in children whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy. This is proven during the period of fetal formation. Not being able to fall asleep, while having a strong need for sleep, is not a pleasant situation. In case of prolonged lack of sleep, the patient needs qualified assistance and drug treatment.

Causes of insomnia

Alcohol is a strong depressant. That is why very often, after sobering up, chaotic thoughts come into the head of a drinker, which lead to panic, anxiety, and aggression. Until a person calms down, he will not be able to sleep. Insomnia from a hangover can be long-lasting, especially if a person has been drinking alcohol for a long time. In addition to sleep problems, there are:

• heart pain and tachycardia;
• muscle weakness;
• surges in blood pressure.

Activated carbon will help neutralize the negative effects of ethanol. Moreover, you should take the drug not only immediately after drinking, but also during the following days. This will help quickly remove toxins from the body and speed up recovery processes.

So why does a hangover cause sleep disturbance? One of the causes of insomnia is surges in blood pressure. With high numbers, the patient may experience dizziness, headaches and rapid heartbeat. If drinking alcohol is accompanied by smoking, the person’s condition worsens, since nicotine causes vasoconstriction. In this state, it is forbidden to take coffee and tea, which further tone up, increase depression and prevent the reduction of blood pressure.

It can be difficult to fall asleep with a hangover for a simpler reason - because. If a person suffers from pain, loose stools or heartburn, then there is no need to talk about normal sleep. After drinking alcohol once, you can usually quickly recover and return to normal sleep. However, long-term binge drinking can negatively affect the functioning of the brain and central nervous system, which leads to persistent sleep disturbance.

Help with alcohol insomnia

Doctors are increasingly hearing the question: “I can’t sleep with a hangover, what should I do?” Experts advise not to self-medicate, but to seek qualified medical help.

Doctors often encounter situations where a patient, wanting to quickly calm down and fall asleep after drinking alcohol, takes medications that further aggravate his condition and sometimes lead to severe complications. Any alcoholic drink is incompatible with such drugs as:

• “Corvalol” and “Valocordin” - when interacting with alcohol, they can cause a coma, since they contain phenobarbital, which in itself is considered a rather aggressive component;
• “Afobazole” does not work in combination with alcohol, and its effect appears several days after the start of treatment, so it will not be possible to quickly calm down after drinking;
• “Phenazepam” is most dangerous when combined with alcohol; it can lead to depression, suicidal tendencies, and severe side effects. Drug-induced sleep after drinking alcohol can lead to sleep apnea, angina, involuntary urination, and temporary amnesia.

After drinking alcohol, you should refrain from using hawthorn tincture, Valoserdin and a number of sedatives, which may not harm your health, but will not bring any benefit.

And yet, how to quickly fall asleep with a hangover without harm to your health? If you have problems sleeping after drinking alcohol in large quantities once, then usually the body itself copes with this problem as soon as the intoxication disappears. All the patient’s efforts are aimed at removing toxic substances. For this purpose, enterosorbents, mineral water, berry and fruit drinks are used, which simultaneously replenish the deficiency of fluid and vitamins in the body.

How can a person who has been drinking alcohol for a long time fall asleep with a hangover? In this case, we have to talk about alcohol addiction, the treatment of which requires an integrated approach. A qualified narcologist will tell you how to cope with a long-term binge; he can prescribe anti-alcohol drugs, which today are easy to purchase anonymously on the Internet.

Take sedatives after drinking alcohol with extreme caution. It is not recommended to rely on pharmaceutical medications. In this regard, herbal preparations that act gently and are not addictive will be more effective. A decoction of St. John's wort is characterized by a mild calming effect. It is useful to drink tea made from lemon balm, mint, and chamomile before bed, which will have a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system and neutralize the negative effects of toxins.

If insomnia is the result of an acid-base balance disorder and vitamin deficiency, then it is useful to take preparations of succinic acid, vitamin C, and lactic acid.

If a person says: “I can’t sleep because of a hangover,” then he should seriously think about his health. Under normal circumstances, alcohol causes drowsiness, but if the opposite occurs, we are talking about severe intoxication of the body with the subsequent development of pathological processes.

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A hangover is a difficult test for the whole body, during which problems arise with literally all internal organs and systems. The liver suffers, the heart has difficulty coping with the load, and the brain suffers because it does not receive sufficient blood supply. A considerable share of suffering falls on the nervous system, which is why after drinking a person cannot fall asleep, or he can, but he has nightmares with which he cannot do anything.

Causes

Many alcoholics realize the need to begin treatment for their dependence on alcohol precisely because of the development of this condition: “I want to sleep, but I can’t fall asleep, and for some reason I constantly have nightmares.” This describes one of the most serious alcohol use disorders in one sentence. The reasons why drunkards develop insomnia due to a hangover are various:

• brain activity disrupted by alcohol, leading to the formation of surreal scary pictures, which is why a person begins to have terrible dreams after leaving the binge;
• a nervous system shaken by alcohol, which does not allow the alcoholic to fall into a healthy sleep, “giving” him nightmares as a response to the stress he has experienced;
• disruptions in the functioning of the respiratory system (apnea), due to which a person alternately experiences: temporary cessation of breathing due to depression of the respiratory center by ethanol, lack of oxygen (suffocation), stress with the production of hormones and their effect on the body, panic and, as a result, nightmares .

And the most obvious answer to the question: “Why can’t I sleep, and if I do fall asleep, I quickly wake up because of terrible dreams” is a mental disorder. Nightmares are a clear sign of the presence of one or another mental disorder, sometimes already inherent in the drinking person, sometimes provoked by excessive alcohol consumption and a hangover.

The importance of healthy sleep

Sleep is a normal physiological process during which the human body restores lost energy, as well as:

• rests from the stress received during the day;

When exposed to alcohol, a person’s central nervous system is disrupted, which is why after falling asleep he has nightmares or cannot sleep at all

• actively fights various minor ailments;
• restores immunity;
• consolidates new information in consciousness and long-term memory;
• getting ready for a new day.

Dreams can be called confirmation of the passage of all the listed processes, consciously or not, but both adults and children see “report” dreams all the time. When exposed to alcohol, all of the above processes are disrupted, which is why the alcoholic either cannot fall asleep at all, or after falling asleep he has nightmares. The thing is that ethyl alcohol:

• prevents you from falling asleep quickly and deeply;
• makes sleep short and restless;
• gives rise to difficult, terrible dreams;
• causes a person to sleep shallowly, intermittently, with frequent awakenings.

It is obvious that without normal sleep, the normal functioning of a living being is impossible, and if, in addition to problems with night rest, mental and psychophysiological disorders develop after prolonged contact with alcohol, it’s time to start doing something.

No nightmares, but no sleep either

Insomnia is the other side of sleep problems after intoxication. Even if you have nightmares, these are still dreams that you can get rid of relatively quickly if you wish and use a reasonable approach. Insomnia is not just a lack of sleep. This is a mental disorder in which the entire nervous system is in a constant excited state, which is why a person deprived of sleep suffers from the accumulation of anxiety, tension, and anxiety. The inability to sleep is only aggravated by all the symptoms of a hangover, as well as health problems that develop against the background of alcohol abuse.

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It is possible to combat insomnia, as well as nightmares during withdrawal, only after identifying and eliminating the factors that caused the disorder. These may be problems that have developed due to excessive consumption of intoxicating drinks:

• intoxication of the body;

• deficiency of minerals, amino acids, trace elements;
• malfunctions of internal organs and systems.

What needs to be done first is to cleanse the body of alcohol byproducts. In case of minor intoxication, you can get by with gastric lavage; in case of serious poisoning, you will have to use medications - solutions for intravenous infusions of drugs that regulate metabolism, protect internal organs and stimulate their normal functioning, and relieve symptoms of a hangover.

After detoxifying the body, you should restore the volume of lost substances by taking vitamin complexes and eating foods rich in vitamins C and B (2, 6, 12), potassium and magnesium. To complement the effect of the treatment, taking a contrast shower will help, which will expel the remaining alcohol, invigorate and improve your mood in general, and help restore the “insides” and the central nervous system in particular.

The last stage of treatment, after which falling asleep will not be a problem, and nightmares will be replaced by pleasant dreams, consists of drinking drinks that have a positive effect on the nervous system. To do this, it is advisable to drink:

• fresh milk and any fermented milk products;
• infusion of St. John's wort, chamomile, motherwort;
• freshly squeezed fruit and berry juices.

A useful addition would be long walks in the fresh air, reasonable physical activity, massage - all this will not only help you quickly get rid of the symptoms of a hangover, but will also relax your nerves, after which deep, healthy sleep will occur.

Medicines are not always beneficial

Modern pharmacology has learned to deal with problems formulated as follows: “I can’t sleep” or “for some reason I have nightmares.” To treat such ailments, drugs called:

• Glycine;
• Diphenhydramine;
• Donormil;
• Sibazon;
• Phenibut.

And these are just a few of the most common drugs. All of them help to calm the nervous system and suppress its excitement, which is why they are classified as medications, the use of which is prohibited without a prescription and medical supervision. Failure to comply with this condition is fraught with other nightmares - either an overdose until complete calmness, or addiction, which is similar to drug addiction.

The human mind and human psyche, even in the modern world, remain not fully studied, and the mind and psyche of a drunk or hungover person is a completely dark forest. Why does he have various visions, not only in his sleep, but also in reality (“delirium tremens”)? What is the trigger that causes nightmares? What is it that sometimes causes an alcoholic's mind to become so active and agitated that it cannot shut down for several days? There are very few sensible answers to these questions - only recommendations for cleansing the body of alcohol to calm the central nervous system and medications in especially advanced cases.

An absolutely healthy person who has gone overboard with drinking alcohol the day before can experience hangover insomnia. This is dangerous to health, since a person is in an overexcited state and cannot completely relax and fall asleep with a hangover.

Why can't you sleep when you're hungover?

Good sleep can help you feel better after a hangover. But it happens that even with a strong desire to fall asleep, it is not possible. The painful consequences of drinking or prolonged hard drinking affect not only the appearance, liver and gastrointestinal tract, but also the functioning of the nervous system. The body of a drunk person is excessively poisoned. When toxic compounds enter the bloodstream as a result of the breakdown of alcohol components, the work of almost all organ systems is inhibited, as a result of the thought: “Why can’t I sleep?”

The balance of the autonomic system is disturbed, obsessive thoughts appear, anxiety and aggressiveness arise. Trying to overcome hangover insomnia, a person flinches at every sound, is frightened by any movement, and looks around with fear. This is how the effect of ethanol on the nervous system manifests itself: the tone of the department responsible for regulating critical situations increases. As a result, the functioning of the recticular formation of the brain, which regulates the state of sleep and its onset, changes.

Insomnia from a hangover can manifest itself in different forms:

• I can’t sleep for a long time, nervous tension constantly increases, and I have a headache;
• sleep occurs, but it is superficial, constantly interrupted and accompanied by nightmares;
• absolute lack of sleep, accompanied by increased anxiety, hallucinations, post-alcohol depression;
• periodically holding your breath for 10–12 seconds (sleep apnea).

Consequently, the main cause of insomnia after alcohol is overexcitation of the nervous system. The body uses all its forces to get rid of toxins and eliminate the consequences of alcohol poisoning, and as soon as the intoxication can be overcome, the phase of calm and sleep begins.

Methods for eliminating hangover insomnia

The principles of combating insomnia that occurs as a result of a hangover syndrome differ from the treatment of ordinary insomnia. First of all, the measures are aimed at restoring the functioning of all internal organ systems, eliminating the consequences of poisoning, and removing toxins from the blood. As soon as the drinker’s condition stabilizes, the nervous system gradually calms down and its functioning returns to normal.

The exception is when a person is on a drinking binge for several days. Long-term alcohol consumption negatively affects the functioning of the central nervous system and brain. Gradually destroyed cells are not restored after alcohol, the functioning of the nervous system is disrupted, and delirium tremens appears. Subsequently, not distinguishing nighttime from daytime, the alcoholic falls asleep only with a critical dose of alcohol and does not want to do anything to get out of this state.

The mechanism for eliminating sleep during a hangover is based on taking sedatives and sleeping pills. They simultaneously stabilize blood pressure and relieve obsessive thoughts; the person falling asleep does not flinch. They must be taken in accordance with the indicated dosage.

Hypnotic

One way to sleep with a hangover is to take sleeping pills. Some drugs are absolutely incompatible with alcohol and can cause dangerous consequences. 1-2 tablets of valerian are considered safe. One of the light and harmless sleeping pills, Andante, is available without a prescription and helps you relax and fall into a restful sleep.

• Corvalol - dangerous for a hangover, can provoke a coma due to the phenobarbital content;
• Afobazole - does not bring any effect for hangover insomnia, since the components included in its composition begin to act only 1-2 days after entering the body;
• Phenazepam - in combination with alcohol causes suicidal thoughts, angina pectoris, breath holding until complete stop, involuntary urination, vomiting.

Before taking any formulations, it is necessary to remove alcohol from the blood as much as possible. Sleeping while hungover may not improve your well-being, but can lead to dire consequences when alcohol is combined with certain pharmaceutical drugs.

A glass will help you sleep

Trying to eliminate annoying insomnia, a person who had been drinking the night before reaches for a glass again, reassuring himself that it is necessary “for health.” Firstly, drinking alcohol during a hangover can aggravate the condition, increase already high, unstable blood pressure, and increase the pulse rate. Secondly, uncontrolled consumption of vodka or wine can develop into a new binge. Thirdly, alcohol is incompatible with sleeping pills and other drugs, although in some cases it is possible to fall asleep quickly.

The simultaneous use of medications and alcoholic beverages has a depressing effect on the central nervous system. The consequences can be the most unpredictable not only for an experienced alcoholic, but also for someone who allows himself too much the night before for the first time. The effects of alcohol can be unpredictable.

Traditional methods

• pure mineral water;
• hot chicken broth;
• green, weakly brewed tea;
• cranberry decoction;
• infusion of mint and lemon balm;
• activated carbon solution (1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight).

An infusion of lemon balm and mint has a mild relaxing effect and helps you sleep. To prepare, take 1 tablespoon of dry herb (you can also use fresh), pour 1 glass of boiling water, let it brew for 15–20 minutes. Drink warm in small sips; you can add honey to taste.

Another soothing composition that helps you fall asleep quickly is motherwort infusion. Brew 1 teaspoon of chopped dry herb in a glass of boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes, take in small sips.

Infusion of hop cones: pour 2 tablespoons of raw material into 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. Take 3-4 tablespoons every 3 hours. The drink contains many vitamins, essential oils, microelements and salts.

To get out of a hangover and calmly plunge into the arms of Morpheus, you need to restore the functioning of the internal organ systems and normalize the water and electrolyte balance. To speed up detoxification, black or red currant tea, rose hip decoction, oranges, lemon and tangerines are useful. These products will saturate the body with ascorbic acid.

In the absence of heart disease and other pathologies of the cardiovascular system, you can visit the sauna. It accelerates the process of removing toxins, has a calming and relaxing effect, and eliminates insomnia.

What is prohibited to do

In case of hangover syndrome, which occurs in the form of insomnia and anxiety, it is strictly forbidden to take several sleeping pills or other medications (painkillers) at the same time. It is not recommended to take tablets with alcoholic drinks. Do not overload your body with fatty foods or drink strong black tea or coffee. It is better to exclude spicy foods from your diet, which can destabilize blood pressure.

After drinking, you need to shower and wash your face and neck as often as possible. A significant amount of toxins are released through the skin and the cleansing process can be accelerated. If your health suddenly deteriorates, you should call an ambulance. Inept actions, especially when experiencing your first hangover, can lead to unpredictable consequences.

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