Most people think that drinking a few beers or having a glass of wine before bed will help them get a goodnight’s rest. The truth is you can get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol and that actually alcohol can disrupt sleeping patterns all together making it so you don’t get as good of sleep. So if you are a night owl who finds they need something to help them get to bed don’t fret. Here are 5 ways to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol:

Stick to a schedule/Sleep only at night: Your parents were right putting you to bed at the same time every night. Sticking to a schedule allows your body to set its internal rhythm so you can get up at the time you want consistently every single day and this is key to getting a goodnight’s rest without alcohol. Also, make sure you try to keep this same schedule on the weekends too or else you will wake up later and feel even more tired than before. Sleeping during the day can cause a fairly heavy disturbance in getting a goodnight’s rest. So if you are going to sleep try to do it only at night and if you have to sleep during the day keep it confined to 20-minute power naps.

Exercise/Take a hot shower: Exercise is a great way to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol and has the added health benefits. Your body uses sleep to recover its muscles and joints that have been exercised. Twenty to thirty minutes of exercise daily can help you sleep better in a healthy way without alcohol. Taking a hot shower is another great alternative to getting a goodnights rest without alcohol. Taking a hot shower right before bed helps to relax tense muscles.

Avoid eating before bed and caffeine: Eating before bed can keep your body from getting a goodnight’s rest because your body has to digest while you sleep. So if you are going to eat at night try to do so at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. And caffeine, well it’s obvious, caffeine keeps you awake. Stop drinking caffeine around 5 hours before its bedtime.

Read a book/Turn down the AC: For some people reading works great to get a goodnight’s rest. Reading can take you to a whole different place if you are really into it. If reading isn’t your thing then turn your attention to the thermostat. Cold rooms help the body to fall asleep easier and quicker.

Avoid alcohol: Alcohol is a depressant and while it make it easier to fall asleep, key word, fall asleep, it causes you to not get as good of a night’s rest. When alcohol is consumed it can cause dehydration, disruptions in sleep patterns and nightmares for some people. This can make it seem like you are getting a goodnight’s rest with alcohol but you are actually not sleeping as well.

So if you are having trouble sleeping the best way to get a goodnight’s rest without alcohol is to start off by not using alcohol and then find something else that can cause you to get sleepy.

Tweet