You don’t need to cut out alcohol completely, but if any of these above issues sound familiar, you might want to take steps to reduce your alcohol consumption. If you find yourself falling asleep quickly but unable to stay asleep or unable to get deep, restorative sleep after a few drinks, or if alcohol seems to be reducing the total number of hours you sleep each night
or has you heading to the bathroom too often, there are a few things you can try.
- Stay Hydrated. Space out your drinks with glasses of water and try to drink enough water during the days you know you might have a few drinks. Using the spacers will cut down on your total alcohol intake and it can keep your blood alcohol level down.
- Don’t Keep Drinking Until Bedtime. Try cutting off alcohol around 3-4 hours before you hit the sheets to give your body ample time to metabolize the alcohol.
- Skip the Sugary Drinks and Mixers. Sugar and caffeine stimulate the body and can wreak havoc when combined with alcohol’s already detrimental effects on your sleep.
On the whole, alcohol is not your friend when it comes to sleep quality, but some people are more affected by it than others. If you find you have trouble sleeping after a few drinks, try these tips as well as working to cut down on your overall alcohol consumption.