Insomnia and Addiction | Symptoms and Treatment Options

Sleep is supposed to be a sanctuary, a chance for your body and mind to recharge. But when you have insomnia, it can turn your nights into a desperate battle and cloud your days in a fog of exhaustion. Many people turn to drugs or alcohol to get some rest, only to find addiction setting in and worsening their insomnia symptoms. Addiction thrives in the sleepless hours of insomnia, with the two conditions intensifying each other. If you are looking for rest and relief, Recovery Lighthouse can help you reclaim your nights, your days and your future.

Young girl suffring from insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a widespread sleep disorder that affects around a third of all people in the UK.  Sometimes, it is about never quite falling asleep (onset insomnia), while other times, it is waking up repeatedly or feeling like sleep never truly gives you the rest you need (maintenance insomnia).

In either case, there are two main types of insomnia:

1. Acute insomnia

Acute insomnia is the short-term version, often sparked by a big life change, a burst of stress or even a noisy neighbour disrupting your usual sleep routine.

2. Chronic insomnia

This is the long-haul variety which is defined as exhibiting insomnia symptoms at least three times a week for three months or more. Chronic insomnia often ties into deeper health or emotional challenges that refuse to be ignored, including addiction.

The effects of insomnia can ripple far beyond the bedroom as sleepless nights create days of exhaustion, irritability and foggy thinking. Over time, insomnia can lead to more serious issues like mental health struggles, weight loss and even a weakened immune system.

What causes insomnia?

Insomnia doesn’t happen in a vacuum but is usually a tangled mix of factors that stop you from getting your precious shut-eye. Some of these factors include:

Psychological struggles
Ever been too stressed to sleep? Then you’re not alone. Anxiety, worry and depression can all feel like they’re shouting in your ear just as you’re trying to drift off. Emotional trauma or unresolved tension can also haunt your nights, making it hard to find that feeling of calm you need for rest.
Physical causes
Sometimes, it is your body that won’t let you sleep. Chronic pain, asthma, arthritis or even hormonal shifts like menopause can all keep you tossing and turning. Substances like caffeine or alcohol (that late-night glass of wine isn’t helping!) can also sabotage your sleep cycles.
Environmental issues
Your sleep environment can also have a massive impact on insomnia. Too much light, noise or even the wrong temperature can turn your bedroom into a sleep-deprivation zone. And if you’re glued to your phone or laptop before bed, that blue light could be tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.

Do I have insomnia?

If you’re not sure whether your sleep struggles are “normal”, here are some questions which could point to the signs of insomnia:

  • Do you find it hard to fall asleep, even when you’re tired?
  • Do you wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to get back to sleep?
  • Do you feel exhausted in the morning, no matter how long you’ve been in bed?
  • Are you distracted, forgetful or struggling to focus during the day because of poor sleep?
  • Do you rely on caffeine, naps or other stimulants to make it through the day?
  • Do stress, worry or racing thoughts keep you tossing and turning at night?
  • Have your sleep issues lasted for weeks or even months?

If you answered yes to these questions, you may very well have insomnia.

How do insomnia and addiction link?

Insomnia and addiction have a way of weaving into each other’s chaos, creating a sleepless storm of dependency and desperation. To untangle their connection, we need to dive into the ways they feed off one another:

Substances as a false sleep solution

When you’re desperate for rest, substances like alcohol or sedatives might seem like the perfect lullaby. But while they might knock you out for a while, they disrupt your natural sleep cycle, robbing you of deep, restorative rest. What starts as a way to sleep quickly can then become a new problem as you become addicted.

Wired and wide awake

Stimulants like cocaine or meth can hijack your entire system, turning nights into jittery marathons of racing thoughts and restless energy. Even when the high fades, comedowns can leave you staring at the ceiling, chasing sleep that refuses to come.

The weight of addiction

Addiction has a huge impact on your mental and emotional health and the shame, guilt and stress can play on your mind all night. Worries about your behaviour, relationships, money and even where you will get your next dose can all make it incredibly hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Insomnia during withdrawal

Withdrawal is an emotional and mental battlefield and insomnia is one of the most common symptoms. Restlessness, anxiety and the sheer discomfort of detox can make nights unbearable, often pushing you toward relapse to escape the misery.

However it begins, once insomnia and addiction have taken hold, the sleepless nights fuel cravings, impair judgment and weaken your resolve while substance use further disrupts your ability to rest and recover. It becomes an exhausting spiral that drains your strength and seems to keep recovery from both issues constantly out of reach.

 

Man with no sleep on suffering from insomnia

Commonly co-occurring addiction and insomnia issues

Insomnia co-exists with a number of both substance abuse disorders and behavioural addictions. Some of the most common include:

Insomnia and sleeping pill addiction

Sleeping pills can seem like a magic fix for insomnia but if you begin to rely solely on medicine to sleep, there is a high chance of becoming addicted.

Insomnia and drug addiction

Various forms of drug addiction can hijack your body’s natural rhythms. Stimulants can keep you awake for days while downers can leave you groggy rather than restless. Marijuana addiction and insomnia often co-exist as regular marijuana use can affect your REM sleep with cannabis addiction leaving many people chronically exhausted.

Insomnia and alcohol addiction

A glass of wine before bed might seem like the perfect way to unwind; getting quality, uninterrupted sleep when you are addicted to alcohol is very tough.

Insomnia and internet addiction

The constant blue light exposure and the rabbit hole of notifications can keep you up late and keep your mind awake long after you put the phone down.

Treatment options for addiction and insomnia

At Recovery Lighthouse, we know how deeply addiction and insomnia can affect one another. While we don’t treat insomnia itself, our rehab treatment programme can help manage insomnia symptoms while holistically addressing addiction. If you need treatment that goes even further, UKAT London Clinic offers specialised care for both addiction and insomnia either individually or as a combined programme.

At both Recovery Lighthouse and UKAT Clinic, you will be able to benefit from:

Get help for insomnia and addiction today

What if tonight could be the start of something different – where the weight of addiction is lifted, and peaceful sleep is not just a dream? At Recovery Lighthouse, we can help you turn sleepless nights and substance struggles into a future filled with rest and hope. Contact us today to find out how you can put insomnia and addiction firmly behind you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can insomnia be fatal?
While insomnia itself doesn’t directly cause death, the toll it takes on your body and mind can have serious consequences. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, weakened immunity and even accidents due to fatigue. Left untreated, insomnia can also worsen mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which could put you in danger of self-harm or suicidal thoughts.
How can I treat my insomnia if I am in recovery from a sleeping pill addiction?
Sleeping pill recovery doesn’t mean you’re doomed to sleepless nights forever. There are plenty of healthier options to reclaim your rest, like cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), mindfulness techniques and creating a calming bedtime routine. Working with your recovery team, you can find safe and effective ways to manage insomnia without relying on medication.
What are the most common reasons for developing insomnia?
Insomnia often stems from a mix of stress, poor sleep habits or medical conditions. Anxiety and overthinking can keep your brain buzzing when it should be winding down, while factors like irregular schedules, substance abuse, too much screen time or physical pain disrupt your body’s natural sleep rhythm. Understanding these causes is the first step to taking back control over your nights.

(Click here to see works cited)

  • NHS. “Insomnia.” NHS inform, 3 May 2023, https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/insomnia/. Accessed 10 December 2024.
  • Sleep Foundation. “Insomnia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments.” Sleep Foundation, 16 January 2024, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia. Accessed 10 December 2024.
  • Villalobos, Nick. “Insomnia: Causes, Symptoms, Types, and More.” Healthline, 19 January 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/insomnia. Accessed 10 December 2024.
  • UK Rehab. “Dual Diagnosis | Co-Occurring Disorders.” UK Rehab, https://www.uk-rehab.com/mental-health/dual-diagonosis/. Accessed 10 December 2024.
  • UK Rehab. “Insomnia and Addiction | Mental Health and Addiction.” UK Rehab, https://www.uk-rehab.com/mental-health/insomnia-and-addiction/. Accessed 10 December 2024.