Five Ways to Fall Asleep Without Alcohol
For some, preparing for sleep can be a bit like practicing a ritual. Over time, we know what keeps us up at night, and we also know what helps us sleep. Unfortunately, for many adults, a nightcap is the go-to sedative, and trying to cut out the nightly drink or two — or more — is a lot harder than it sounds. If you’ve grown tired of taking a drink or more each night to fall asleep, try these five practices to promote a healthy, natural circadian rhythm. If you find you still can’t sleep without alcohol, or that you need to increase your alcohol intake in order to fall asleep, there is help. Learn about the Levels of Care offered at Amatus Health Recovery Centers to find out which kind of treatment can best serve you.
Cut back caffeine, smoking and vaping
While this might seem obvious, the prevalence of coffee drinks, energy supplements and nicotine products — especially vaping — are typically seen as healthier alternatives to drinking alcohol. But caffeine and nicotine are stimulants and using them throughout the course of the day can have latent energizing impacts. Cutting these behaviors down, or out all together can help keeping an unshifted circadian rhythm.
Take up reading
Reading before bed helps sleep. By focusing attention on aa book, we limit our screen time, which is known to disrupt circadian rhythms. Reading for only a few minutes before bed also reduces stress and help maintain a relaxing routine.
Play white noise apps
While there is only limited white noise sleep research, many people swear by it. Just look at all the available white noise sleep machine apps out there. White noise and other soft redundant sounds, like a running fan or falling rain, drown out other sounds, leaving fewer distractions for your brain.
Meditate using a calming mantra
Some people meditate to stay centered during the day, while others use meditation to help their sleep. Focus on your breathing and choose your own calming mantra to repeat. Like white noise, rhythmic breathing and repeating a mantra can help reduce distractions and overstimulation of your brain.
Stay busy during the day
Keeping a tight schedule as part of your normal routine will help you use up your energy during the morning, day or whenever you are awake. By eliminating temptations and opportunities to nap by hitting the gym or visiting a friend after work, the body will be better prepared to hunker down when it’s time to sleep.