Now that we’re cutting back on alcohol, our brains and bodies are already working toward readjusting. These sleep processes will heal within a matter of weeks.
In the meantime, this is also a critical time to work on our sleep hygiene. Proper sleep hygiene can help us fall asleep more quickly and give us a better night's rest as our brains recover.
Augment your sleep with these tips:
Two Hours Before Bedtime
Reduce or eliminate screen time
Wear blue-light-blocking glasses if you do use screens in the evening
Develop an evening routine that signals to you brain to go to sleep
Try a guided meditation
create a relaxing and inviting environment in your bedroom, limiting light
Aim to sleep at the same time every day
Right Before Bedtime
The Next Morning
As time goes by and you stick to your cutback goals, you'll notice positive improvements in your sleep. Soon enough, you’ll be feeling more energetic each and every day!
Alcohol disrupts REM cycles, which is restorative to our general functioning, stress, and memory
It alters our circadian rhythm, increasing our risk for physical and emotional struggles
How Alcohol Affects Sleep 4 - test link
Breus, M. (2018, January). Alcohol and sleep: What you need to know. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201801/alcohol-and-sleep-what-you-need-know Macmillan, A. (2017, October). Why dreaming may be important for your health. TIME. https://time.com/4970767/rem-sleep-dreams-health/ Pietilä, J., Helander, E., Korhonen, I., Myllymäki, T., Kujala, U. M., & Lindholm, H. (2018). Acute Effect of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Autonomic Regulation During the First Hours of Sleep in a Large Real-World Sample of Finnish Employees: Observational Study. JMIR Mental Health, 5(1), e23. https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9519 Sleep Foundation. (2020, September). Alcohol and sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/alcohol-and-sleep Whitaker, H. (2019). Quit like a woman: The radical choice to not drink in a culture obsessed with alcohol. The Dial Press.
