How to fix a sleep schedule when you quit drinking?

Some people drink to help them fall asleep, so when they make the decision to quit drinking, their sleep schedule can suffer. We are here to tell you how to fix a sleep schedule so your days can be more productive and you will not wake up with the feeling like you didn’t sleep all night. 

When you quit drinking, your sleep schedule may suffer and make falling asleep and staying asleep difficult. Some ways to combat this are to get on a sleep schedule, don’t eat immediately before bed, get sunlight in the morning to reset your circadian rhythm, and stay active throughout the day in order to be tired at night. 

Focusing on yourself after you quit drinking can be a fun and exciting time, so don’t let the lack of sleep keep you from your newfound hobbies. Let’s navigate it together by going over some things that will help you fall asleep and have a better night’s rest. 

How long does it take for sleep to improve after stopping drinking?

Some people have begun drinking to help them fall asleep, as alcohol is known as a sedative. But when you become reliant on alcohol to get you to sleep, and then make the decision to stop, your body will begin to have a hard time adjusting and falling asleep without the assistance. 

Figuring out how long it will take for your sleep cycle to get back on track is not a simple answer for everyone. Getting back on track can take weeks or months and will be dependent on each individual. 

How to fall asleep without alcohol?

There are different actions you can try to help you fall asleep at night without needing a nightcap. Keeping busy throughout the day and finding a safe place at night where you can wind down and relax will help you create healthy sleep habits.

Create a sleep schedule 

Getting on a schedule will let your body know when it is time to settle down for the day and get some well needed rest. This can start with waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, whatever time feels necessary for you. 

Sleeping habits can start by creating a routine for yourself; not only is it you being in bed at a specific time, but putting the phone away or having a hot tea. This will create habits, or “rituals”, letting your body know it is time for bed. 

Without a schedule your body plays a guessing game on whether it is time for sleep or not, making it harder to fall asleep at a decent time. 

Avoid napping

Try to avoid napping altogether. Incorporate increased daily activity, and this will cause your body to be physically tired and be able to fall asleep faster at night. If you need a nap throughout the day, push past it and move up your bedtime to get enough sleep. 

Napping may be a necessary thing to do for those working swing shift hours or who are extremely busy in the house, but it may be a reason why you are having a hard time falling asleep at night or staying asleep. 

If napping is needed, it should be no more than 10-20 minutes earlier in the day. A late nap causes more problems in your sleep cycles. 

Sunlight to reset your circadian rhythm 

Your circadian rhythm functions by communicating your sleep/wake cycle, facilitating hormone activity, and regulating body temperature and your eating and digestion cycles. It is essentially your internal clock to tell your body what it needs to do. 

Sunlight is vital to a regulated circadian rhythm. Getting sun exposure first thing in the morning will help you wake up and be more alert, and creating a dim environment at night will help you fall asleep.

If you are feeling tired at any point in the day, go to a well lit up space to help yourself wake up. In turn, you should create a low-lit environment at least 2 hours before bed to tell your circadian rhythm that it is ready for bed. 

What can I replace alcohol with at night?

If drinking at night was a ritual for you or you used it as a nightcap, there are some alternatives that could help your mind think you are still in that ritual and begin to fall asleep without alcohol. 

If you were a wine drinker, try something like tea, lavender, or valerian root tea to help with de-stressing, making it easier to fall asleep.

Infused water with berries or herbs will help with the habitual feeling of the wine. You could also try a non-alcoholic wine (and yes they do exist) again for the habitual feeling of needing it before bed, something like this ARIEL wine. 

If you are a beer drinker, at night you could try Kombucha, although sometimes this does have a small alcohol content, so make sure to check the label before trying. It does have antioxidant properties to reduce inflammation and help your immune system. 

You may also want to try nonalcoholic beer. Some of the major brands like Heineken have begun making beers that taste the same without the alcohol content. 

If you are a cocktail drinker and usually have one to end your night, the easiest option would be to change to mocktails, and if you don’t know where to start, check out our mocktail blog.  

Final Thought

Learning how to fix a sleep schedule after you make the decision to quit drinking can be challenging and take longer than you think. We don’t want you to be discouraged when you see it taking longer than a couple of weeks. 

Every person is different, and depending on how long you were drinking before and how much you relied on it for sleep could be a huge part of why it is taking longer for your sleep cycle to correct itself. 

Keep looking forward to the benefits of not drinking and incorporating some of the tips we have given you to help create better sleeping habits. Let us know if you have tried any of our tips or if you have others that worked for you in the comments below.