By Mary Reid

“Also, I could finally sleep. And this was the real gift, because when you cannot sleep, you cannot get yourself out of the ditch—there’s not a chance.”

— Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Think of all the gifts that a good night’s sleep provides. If it’s been a while since you’ve had a good night’s sleep, you probably aren’t familiar with a lot of its benefits. For a reminder, check out this Healthline article, 10 Reasons To Get More Sleep.

We all know that drinking alcohol disrupts normal sleep patterns. Even moderate drinking negatively affects sleep by 24%. Did you know that experts recommend that we stop drinking 4 hours before we go to bed?

Baby steps, baby.

Most of us agree that our last drink adds nothing positive to our evening. In fact, any drink after the 2nd drink usually results in negative effects (We call these trash drinks). However, we keep drinking out of habit. It’s time to create a new habit that starts every night one hour before bedtime.

5 Tips for Good Sleep Hygiene:

• Set a time to go to bed every night and stick to it.
• Stop drinking at least an hour before bedtime. (Some members use their BAC breathalyzer to ensure that their BAC is down to zero before going to bed.) Switch to something that has a reputation for calming properties such as chamomile tea or look into recipes that include warm milk-I know, it sounds dull but there are some delicious recipes out there such as Golden Milk or Warm Vanilla Milk with honey and nutmeg. It’s ok if it sounds like something your mom would have served you. It’s meant to be nurturing and it’s meant to be something you look forward to.
• Make your bedroom and bed a place you like spending time in. Clean, soft sheets. Good smells. Just the right temp (experts recommend between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Set a routine once you get into bed that doesn’t include screentime. Read or meditate or listen to something soothing or serene. Keep it the same every night. You’ll be surprised, once your brain starts to recognize this routine, how easily sleep comes. I can rarely get through a chapter of a book these days. If I’m listening to an audible book, I usually have to go back and repeat several chapters that I missed because I fell asleep.
  
  Here’s the biggest tip: moderate your drinking or abstain. There is nothing like waking up in the middle of the night, dread kicking in as you prepare for that oh-so familiar middle of the night anxiety attack, only to realize that it’s not coming because you did not over-drink. You can roll back over and go to sleep.