Hi, Robin. Sleep disruptions suck! And they seem to be common when quitting - a lot of people have talked about them since I joined this forum. Just out of curiosity, are you using any NRT?
As someone who has grappled with insomnia over many years, I wish there was a perfect solution that made me sleep like a baby. Sadly not. But there definitely are some things that improve the situation and keep me from tipping too far into the red zone:
- Good sleep hygiene (regular bedtime routines, no screens right before bed, etc.)
- No caffeine after noon (I became SUPER sensitive to caffeine after quitting smoking, learned the hard way)
- Listening to somewhat boring audio books at night (to lull myself to sleep, to keep me from clawing my eyeballs out while awake, and to mask my tinnitus)
- 1/2 an over the counter sleep aid (discussed with a doctor). Not melatonin, which - weirdly - gives me the zoomies.
Sleep deprivation is a real health issue - physical and mental. So if your struggles persist, talk to a doctor. But don’t lose faith that it will get better. My insomnia definitely got worse for 5 or 6 weeks after I quit, but then sleep normalized again.
Hang in there!
