Can’t Sleep After That Nightcap? Do these things instead

There is nothing like that crisp, cold bottle of Rosè and a good throw blanket waiting for you after a busy work day. Whether you’re catching up on the latest season of Stranger Things or Yellowstone, a good glass of vino can complement any show and help drown out the noise after hustling and bustling for 8+ hours behind a desk.

It may be 5:00 somewhere, but if you struggle to get a good night’s sleep after drinking alcohol, you may want to reconsider that nightcap to help you unwind. Now, don’t worry—I’m not suggesting nixing alcohol altogether (unless you feel led to make this change for personal and/or health reasons, in which case, rock on), but with sleep being one of the pillars of whole-body health, there are some changes you can make to ensure your booze isn’t affecting your snooze.

Here are 3 ways to sleep better after alcohol. 

1. Set an alcohol curfew. Alcohol works as a sedative, leading many to believe it improves their sleep when actually, it can be wildly disruptive, reduce REM sleep, and exacerbate insomnia. Considering it takes your body one hour to process one serving of alcohol, you can imagine how throwing a few back can interfere with your body’s biological wind-down processes and impact your sleep. To prevent this, try not drinking 4-5 hours prior to bedtime. 
2. Opt for Happy Hour over nightcaps. What’s one way to avoid drinking in the few hours leading up to your head hitting the pillow? Opting for Happy Hour over a nightcap. I get it—that cold drink cozied up on the couch with your favorite Netflix show is one heck of a habit to break. But in an effort to prioritize your sleep, either start your evening routine much earlier or catch up with friends over cocktails right after work. The bonus? One study showed people who are more socially engaged have fewer sleep problems. After the past couple of years, we can all use a good Happy Hour anyway. Have fun killing two birds with one stone! 
3. Avoid sugary alcoholic beverages. Not only can alcohol consumption adversely impact sleep patterns, but adding mounds of sugar to the drinks you’re consuming adds insult to injury. Without alcohol impeding your sleep cycle, overconsumption of sugar alone can really do a number on it. If you’re a cocktail drinker, opt for a vodka soda with lime over a cosmo, and if you’re a wine drinker, consider Dry Farm Wines which are organic and have zero residual sugar or toxic additives. These artisan wines also undergo strict lab testing to ensure only the highest-quality wine sparkles in your glass. After personally experimenting with which alcoholic beverages least impacted my own sleep, Dry Farm Wines helped me achieve higher sleep scores than conventional wines.

So before you go crying over spilled milk no longer being able to have your nightcap (at least not if you want undisturbed zzzs to feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the day ahead), the good news is you can still have your cake wine and eat drink it too! 

Stop Putting Sleep on the Back Burner

As a former bad sleeper whose mood, energy, and overall health were impacted by a lack of quality sleep, I went on my own journey after a decade of dependence on sleep medication to improve my health and life by improving my own sleep. 

Now I work with women to “makeover” their sleep protocols so they fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and wake feeling refreshed.

If you are ready to create your own sleep sanctuary and overcome the “sleep stealers” that are keeping you from feeling your best, contact me today for a free discovery call. And if you want to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and feel more rested when you wake up, download my free Sleep Sanctuary Checklist!