Sleep Struggles After Quitting Drinking: Fixing the 3AM Brain Spiral
3am wakeups after quitting drinking? Let’s fix your sober sleep—for good.
You jolt awake at 3am.Your heart is racing.Your brain is going 100 miles an hour.You know you’re exhausted—but you’re wired and wide awake.
Welcome to the 3AM Club, my friend.It’s not just you. And it’s not just early sobriety.
Sleep issues can hit you at any point in recovery—whether you’re 30 days sober or 30 years in.
And in this episode, I’m going to show you exactly what’s going on in your brain and body when it happens—and give you real tools to quiet that 3AM mind.
Because here’s the truth:This isn’t a “you problem.”It’s a nervous system issue.And you don’t need to panic—you need a plan.
In this episode, I walk you through the hidden causes of those middle-of-the-night wakeups (ADHD, anxiety, sugar, trauma, overstimulation… just to name a few), and I hand you my 3AM GET-YOUR-CALM-BACK PLAN—the exact system I use to calm my brain, get grounded, and take my power back.
No more shame spirals.No more doom scrolling.Just strategy, structure, and the truth about what’s really happening behind the scenes.
🔊 Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:(03:22) Why waking up at 3am isn’t just an early sobriety thing (and why it still happens years later)(08:55) The truth about ADHD, anxiety, sugar, and your overloaded nervous system(16:33) How cortisol, trauma, and hangxiety hijack your brain in the middle of the night(25:40) What your brain needs to finally feel safe enough to rest(29:12) My full “3AM Calm-Back Plan” to stop the spiral and get grounded fast(41:20) The biggest mistakes to stop making when you wake up anxious(46:44) How to rewire your beliefs about sleep—and start trusting your body again
This isn’t about chasing 8 perfect hours. It’s about regulating your body, reclaiming your calm, and learning to rest without sedation.
👉🏼 Listen now and start building your 3am strategy—because a regulated brain is a rested brain.
🔗 Links & Resources
Related Episode: Guaranteed Ways to Make Sleep Easier for You
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited
Book A Call With Angela : addictionunlimited.com/call
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33:04
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33:04
Numb… Anxious… or Overwhelmed? What the Hell Is Going On With Your Feelings?
Numb, Anxious, or Overwhelmed: What the F Is Going On With Your Feelings After You Quit Drinking?*
The hardest part of sobriety isn’t cravings… it’s the F-word.
No, not that one. (Although you know it’s a personal favorite.)
I’m talking about feelings.
The ones you spent years numbing. The ones that come flooding in after you stop drinking.
Or… the ones you can’t seem to feel at all.
Whether you feel numb, anxious, totally overwhelmed, or like your emotions are playing hide-and-seek with your brain—this episode is for you.
💥 In this episode, I’ll walk you through:
What’s really going on when the Pink Cloud fades
Why your emotional overwhelm (or shutdown) is actually a sign of healing
What Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) has to do with it
How emotional avoidance becomes emotional disconnection
Why this phase is where many people relapse—not because of cravings, but because they don’t have the tools to deal
And 3 powerful tools to help you feel again—without drowning in it
You’ll walk away with a deep understanding of why your nervous system is acting up, the real reason you can’t explain how you feel (and why that’s perfectly okay), and my favorite strategies for handling emotions without shutting down, blowing up, or reaching for a drink.
This is the work I do every day with my coaching clients.
We don’t just “talk about feelings.”
We build the emotional skill set that alcohol took away.
So if you’re done screwing around… and ready to build real sobriety, confidence, and peace—
📲 Book a free coaching call with me. Let’s talk about what support could look like for you.
🔗 Resources + Links
🎧 Quitting Drinking & Post-Acute Withdrawal
🎧 5 Signs You’re Dealing With PAWS
🎧 The Science of Sobriety & How to Feel Better Faster
👩💻 Book your free call with Angela
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited
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31:10
When Life Feels Out of Control, Here’s How to Stay Sober
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I should be managing this better…”—this episode is for you.
Between work, family, caregiving, and trying to keep your sober routine intact, it’s easy to feel like life is spinning and you’re barely holding it together. You’re showing up, doing the work, and still questioning if it’s enough. That’s not failure—it’s a sign you’re at capacity. And your sobriety doesn’t break in those moments. It’s actually being built in them.
In this episode, we’re talking about what emotional sobriety looks like in real life—not the highlight reel. You’ll learn how to stay grounded when everything feels out of control, and how to reset without spiraling, starting over, or white-knuckling your way through it.
We’ll unpack:
What control really looks like in high-functioning sobriety
Why over-functioning isn’t strength—it’s survival mode
The 3-step emotional reset to reconnect with yourself (without doing 10 things)
How to calm the chaos and stay sober without shame
Why these messy moments are proof that you’re growing—not slipping
This isn’t about checking every box perfectly.It’s about leading yourself with presence, not pressure.
Whether you’re 30 days sober or 3 years in, you’ll walk away with tools to breathe again, anchor into your why, and feel strong—even when life is anything but easy.
🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode:
🎧 Related episode: What to Do When Sobriety Feels Like a Constant Battle
📞 Free call about coaching (2 spots open): addictionunlimited.com/call
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16:10
Tired of Starting Over? Why Willpower Isn’t Enough to Quit Drinking
Listen On:
You’re not failing—your method is.
You’ve already tried harder.You’ve done the dry weeks.You’ve poured bottles down the sink.You’ve promised yourself, “Just weekends. Just one. This time it will stick.”
And yet, here you are… back in the same shame spiral, asking yourself: “Why can’t I get it together?”
In this episode of Addiction Unlimited, we’re burning down the biggest lie in sobriety: that if you just had more willpower, you’d finally quit drinking for good.
👉 Spoiler alert: willpower is a faulty system. Every. Single. Time.
What you actually need is a system—one that gives you structure, support, and solutions so you can stop starting over and finally move forward.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
🧠 Why willpower fails (and always will) — the science behind anxiety, decision fatigue, and why your brain defaults to alcohol when it’s overwhelmed.
⚙️ The 3 Pillars of Lasting Recovery — my proven framework: Science, Strategy, and Self.
📌 How to design your sober system — calming rituals, accountability, and practical tools that give you relief without a drink.
🚫 The ego trap of “testing yourself” — why it’s total BS and guaranteed to keep you stuck.
💪 Radical personal responsibility — the boundaries you must set with people, places, and yourself to protect your sobriety.
By the end, you’ll understand exactly why trying harder has never worked for you—and how to replace the endless loop of Day Ones with a system that actually sticks.
🎧 Hit play now, because you don’t need more motivation. You don’t need another Day One. You need a system. And this is where it starts.
🔑 Resources & Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Listen to Ep. 275: Relief Not Relapse
Book your free call: addictionunlimited.com/call
Cozy Earth — Use code ANGELA for 40% off: CozyEarth.com
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17:58
Loneliness in Sobriety: Why It Happens + How to Heal
Loneliness and substance use often go hand in hand.
But what most people don’t realize is that loneliness can follow you into sobriety—and if you don’t address it, it can quietly push you toward relapse.
Sobriety means growth. It means changing your habits, your identity, and your relationships—and often, that kind of change means losing the people and places that once made you feel connected.
And it’s not just about early sobriety.
Sometimes it's the next chapter:Maybe your kids are grown and gone, and the house is too quiet.Maybe the marriage didn’t last. Or the friendships didn’t make it.Or maybe… you just don’t feel like you anymore.
You’re not drinking. You’re doing the work.But you still feel disconnected—from your people, your purpose, maybe even from yourself.
If you’ve ever thought, “Why do I feel so alone in sobriety?”This episode is going to answer that.
We’re unpacking the real reasons loneliness shows up in recovery—and exactly what to do about it so you can protect your peace, support your growth, and create a connected, fulfilling life that feels aligned with who you are now.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✅ Why loneliness is common in sobriety—even years in✅ How identity shifts, life stages, and personal growth create disconnection✅ 5 powerful ways to rebuild connection in recovery✅ Why waiting to feel better doesn’t work—and what to do instead✅ How to stop relying on old social circles that no longer fit your life✅ The role of community, consistency, and aligned relationships✅ Why being of service is one of the most healing tools you have✅ How to stop living in emotional isolation and start feeling supported again
Most people in early sobriety experience loneliness because their life is changing faster than their social circle is. But others feel it later on, when life transitions—like divorce, empty nest, or major growth—create emotional distance from the people they once leaned on.
This isn’t a sign you’re doing something wrong.It’s a sign you’re evolving.And that’s exactly why you need a new kind of connection to support who you’re becoming.
🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
🎧 The Identity Crisis No One Talks About in Sobriety (Podcast Episode)
📞 Book a Free Call with Angela – Let’s talk about where you are, what you need, and how I can support you with coaching or other resources.
💻 Join the Addiction Unlimited Facebook Group – A powerful, free community of people just like you.
Are you ready to ditch daily drinking, reclaim your confidence, and create a life of freedom? Each week, Angela combines no-nonsense advice, personal stories, and science-backed strategies to tackle the challenges of sobriety. Angela Pugh is a globally-ranked Life Coach and podcast host, a professional Interventionist, and entrepreneur with more than 18 years of personal sobriety, helping people rebuild their lives since 2008. From navigating relationships to managing triggers, you’ll discover practical tools, empowering insights, and real-world solutions to thrive in sobriety. It’s time to stop feeling stuck and start feeling unlimited. Listen now for the inspiration, tools, and support you need to live a sober, confident, and happy life.
Ireland