Insomnia, Cigars, Coffee, and Libations

[NOGILLS2]

A month or so, now I have been suffering with insomnia. I started to realize a pattern, on days of a cigar, paired with coffee, Scotch, or Bourbon, that night I would have difficulty sleeping. I did research and it was recommended that I discontinue, Nicotine, Caffeine, and alcohol, as all are stimulants. So I took a hiatus for a week and started sleeping. The first night slept 11 hours, I haven't done that in many years!
So, yesterday my eldest son took me to lunch to celebrate Fathers day, and after Sushi and beer, we retired to his new house for a dram of Scotch and a cigar, both were excellent! AND not a wink of sleep last night! Has anyone else experienced this? The idea of giving them up, just doesn't sit well with me, but sleep is kind of a necessity!

 

[Glassman]

Maybe start a morning exercise routine. A good workout earlier in the day, helps with energy through the day and helps with sleep later.

It's generally recommended no caffeine several hours before bed, but som non caffeinated hot tea is helpful.

 

[irratebass]

Interesting experiment. I have not noticed this. I will usually drink a beer a beer or two, and that helps me sleep.

 

[marshall9779]

I don’t sleep near as well as I used to. I wouldn’t call it insomnia. I can fall asleep faster than I ever have but wake up a lot. I only smoke 1-2 cigars a week but drink about 3 cups of coffee pretty much every morning and have a drink or two 2-3 nights a week. Never really paid attention if it happens more on nights I do have a drink. I might be interesting to find out but doubt I would cut anything out unless it gets really bad.


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[jlightning596]

Maybe start a morning exercise routine. A good workout earlier in the day, helps with energy through the day and helps with sleep later.

It's generally recommended no caffeine several hours before bed, but som non caffeinated hot tea is helpful.

i second this motion. burn some calories/energy during the day. deff helps with sleep. or drink til u pass out, sure fire way to sleep.

 

[irratebass]

drink til u pass out, sure fire way to sleep.

 

[Glassman]

i second this motion. burn some calories/energy during the day. deff helps with sleep. or drink til u pass out, sure fire way to sleep.

Or take up pot smoking. Never known a pothead who had trouble sleeping...

 

[jlightning596]

Or take up pot smoking. Never known a pothead who had trouble sleeping...

this is also a great idea

 

[WatchmanUSA]

A month or so, now I have been suffering with insomnia. I started to realize a pattern, on days of a cigar, paired with coffee, Scotch, or Bourbon, that night I would have difficulty sleeping. I did research and it was recommended that I discontinue, Nicotine, Caffeine, and alcohol, as all are stimulants.

Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants so these keep you awake. However, alcohol causes generalized central nervous system depression and associated cognitive, memory, motor, and sensory impairment. It slows and impairs cognition and reaction time, reduces inhibition and impairs judgement. In addition, alcohol dilates blood vessels as does nicotine and caffeine. The increase in blood flow to the brain, that all three cause, is most likely the cause if insomnia. Your increase blood flow brings more oxygen and the increased blood sugar to the brain. So your brain is ready brain to work and doesn't want to slow down to let you sleep.

 

[mjones9630]

Melatonin might help, and is worth a shot... Still might have to knock out most of the evening smokes though, which totally sucks.

 

[bwhite220]

If I smoke cigars with plume on them at night, I sleep like an angel.

 

[VeLoRoK]

I have a cup of coffee before bed most nights. Doesn't effect me at all. Also, caffeine isn't really a stimulant. What caffeine does is blocks the receptors for the chemicals your body creates/builds up that help your body get tired and fall asleep. Think of it like this: in a car, there's a brake pedal (your bodies sleepytime chemicals) and a gas pedal (adrenaline, actual stimulants etc). Caffeine doesn't push the gas pedal, doesn't speed you up. But it does put a block under your brake pedal so you can't slow down. So if your mind expects that coffee is going to get you wired, you experience a psychosomatic wired up feeling, that will be prolonged by caffeine. But, again, it doesn't actually stimulate the body.