You know that ending your alcohol use is the right choice, but you’re worried about how your body and mind will react. For example, does quitting alcohol make you tired? How long will this exhaustion last? What can you do to regain your energy and motivation? Today’s post focuses on the physical, psychological, and behavioral aspects of sobriety fatigue.
If you or a loved one are suffering from alcohol addiction, our alcohol rehab in Massachusetts can help you today. Call us now at 508-504-9137.
Does Quitting Alcohol Make You Tired?
Let’s jump right in with the question from today’s headline: Does quitting alcohol make you tired?
Yes, when you stop drinking, you can expect to go through a period of feeling overly tired. This experience is sometimes referred to as sobriety fatigue or sobriety exhaustion.
When you become addicted to alcohol, your body adapts to the near-constant presence of this substance. When you abruptly end your alcohol abuse, your body may react in a variety of unpleasant ways. The various symptoms you may experience are known collectively as alcohol withdrawal. Fatigue can be a withdrawal symptom.
(Note: When you wake up after a night of heavy drinking, the exhaustion you feel isn’t just because you stayed up too late. Having a hangover is a sort of mini-withdrawal.)
When you quit drinking for good, the exhaustion can be more intense than a typical hangover. But the principle is the same. Your alcohol use disrupted the normal functioning of your system, and now that the substance has been eliminated, your body is working to get back to normal.
Factors That Can Contribute to Sobriety Fatigue
Even after you’ve completed withdrawal, you may still struggle with sobriety exhaustion. Here are a few other reasons to explain why does quitting alcohol make you tired:
- Insomnia is common in early recovery. As your body continues to heal from the damage inflicted on it by alcohol, you may have a difficult time getting to sleep and staying asleep. This can understandably lead to a persistent state of exhaustion.
- Compulsive alcohol abuse can lead to malnutrition and dehydration, both of which can contribute to fatigue. While you were drinking, you may not have realized how you’d been affected. During your early days in sobriety, you may start to feel the fatigue and other effects more strongly than you had before.
- Withdrawal and early recovery can be emotionally taxing times. Change is difficult, even when you know the end result of that change will be beneficial. Addressing the issues that contributed to your alcoholism and developing effective relapse-prevention strategies require hard work, and hard work can be exhausting.
Please don’t lose sight of the fact that sobriety fatigue is not permanent. Yes, being tired and dealing with the other challenges of withdrawal and early recovery can be overwhelming at times. But every day that you’re sober is another day that your body and mind can get stronger.
Over time, the exhaustion will fade, your energy will increase, and you’ll start to feel better than you have in a long time.
Tips for Overcoming Fatigue After Quitting Alcohol
As we mentioned earlier in this post, sobriety fatigue can have physical, psychological, and behavioral aspects. These same factors can also help you overcome the exhaustion that sets in after you quit drinking.
Here are a few tips for rebuilding your strength and stamina:
- Eat better: Your body can’t operate at maximum capacity if you’re not providing it with the nutrients it needs.
- Stay active: Find healthy and enjoyable ways to fill the hours that you used to devote to alcohol abuse. Staying active can improve your strength and boost your mood – both of which can ease your struggles with exhaustion.
- Stay connected: Keep in touch with people who are important to you. When your motivation is ebbing, they can prevent you from slipping back into unhealthy habits. When things are going well, their enthusiasm and support can reinforce your positive behaviors.
- Get help: The day you’re discharged from your alcohol addiction program shouldn’t be the last time you talk to a therapist or counselor. Set up an appointment schedule with a professional in your area. Ignoring your mental health needs can have a negative impact on your body as well as your mind.
- Don’t overdo it: Overexertion can be just as detrimental as idleness. Take time to rest and relax, and make sure you’re getting an appropriate amount of sleep every night.
Find Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts
Acknowledging that you have a problem with alcohol can be the first step on the path toward a much more hopeful future. Once you’ve make the courageous admission, you need to follow it up by taking decisive action. In many cases, the best next step is to seek professional help.
Lake Avenue Recovery is a respected provider of personalized outpatient treatment for adults who are working to end their abuse of alcohol and other addictive substances. Our drug and alcohol rehab in Worcester, Massachusetts, is a safe and welcoming place where you can work in close collaboration with a team of highly skilled treatment professionals.
Our team understands the many ways that alcoholism can disrupt your life. We’re also well aware of the many challenges you may encounter throughout your recovery journey. We use these insights to help our patients develop the skills and strategies that can empower them to resist relapse and reap the many benefits of lifelong sobriety.
When you’re ready to start living the healthier life you deserve, the Lake Avenue Recovery team is here for you. To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact Us page or call us today.