I'm Choosing Snoozing Over Boozing

Here's why I'm going alcohol-free for the sake of my sleep (and my health)

Mar 23, 2025

Let’s talk about alcohol.

I was never much of a drinker, except for a brief period in my twenties when I thought nothing of downing cocktails and picklebacks before rolling into bed in the wee hours of the morning — then waking up for work and devouring a glistening bacon, egg, and cheese bagel to get me through the day.

I still drank occasionally, but my tolerance had taken such a nosedive that I could barely finish one drink (and when I pushed myself, I truly regretted it). In my prime, all I needed to bounce back from a night of heavy drinking was a greasy meal and some Gatorade. Now my hangovers last days after consuming much less.

My 40th birthday in January was the last time I had an alcoholic beverage: an espresso martini for brunch. I don’t care how basic that sounds. I enjoyed it, even if I couldn’t drink the whole thing.

Why am I abstaining from alcohol?

I didn’t wake up one morning and declare, “I’m not going to drink alcohol anymore!” It just happened after random points of reflection.

Lately, when someone offers me an alcoholic drink, I have no problem refusing. If I’m out to dinner at a place that serves alcohol, I’ll stick to water or order a mocktail. The more I abstain from alcohol, the less I want it.

Honestly, I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. I certainly don’t miss the heartburn and severe bloating after a night of margaritas or the days-long hangover I nursed in the aftermath of a fun, booze-fueled trip to New York City.

I especially don’t miss the nights of crappy sleep after a little too much to drink.

Bad sleep hits me like a freight train these days. I have low energy, a short fuse, dull skin, and an insatiable appetite when I’m not well-rested. Why voluntarily put myself through a night of drinking if I can’t handle it anymore?

A few years ago, I committed to cleaning up my eating after I noticed a difference in my energy levels, digestion, and mood when I did. My motivation for abstaining from alcohol is to no longer experience being haggard and parched for half the week.

“Damn, I must be getting old.”

To sound even more like an old person, youth is wasted on the young. At least, the young of my generation. Gen Z’ers are better at sleep than Millennials, and they’ll gladly board the Sleepytime Express before doing almost anything else.

And they’re in their twenties.

In my twenties, I stayed out until 4 am drinking watermelon soju, belting out karaoke, and stumbling to Kunjip to fill my belly with fattening, delicious barbecue. I worked irregular shifts. I hit the snooze button a lot, a habit I recently trained myself to break.

Sleepmaxxing and SleepTok didn’t exist when I was a young adult. Nobody was “influencing” me to prioritize sleep. I’d pull all-nighters and feel proud. Sleeping felt like a waste when I just wanted to go out and have fun — or go to work and make money.

(Funny enough, I loved naps. Still do. There’s something so satisfying about sleeping during the day. I knew my irregular sleep schedule and other bad habits meant I needed to intermittently “reboot” but I didn’t care enough to do anything about it back then.)

In 2022, I asked nutritionist Rob Hobson about the best and worst foods and drinks for sleep for TechRadar. Unsurprisingly, this is what he had to say about alcohol:

While a seemingly harmless nightcap might be relaxing at first, it can have rebound effects, causing you to wake up during the night due to dehydration or the need to visit the bathroom, and in some cases it can also contribute to heartburn.
Alcohol can also impair the restorative part of the sleep cycle, REM, as well as interfering with the flow of calcium into nerve cells, affecting the region of the brain that controls sleep function.

I took that information and thought, “Good to know. I’ll include it.” And that was that.

However, I’m getting older. My body can’t handle booze and rich foods like it used to. I can’t bounce back from a terrible night of sleep with a 45-minute nap, and I can’t cure a hangover with a Quarter Pounder with cheese. It takes days for me to feel like myself again. Maybe I need to start practicing what I write about.

This is the year I started taking my sleep seriously.

My primary goal for 2025 (and the start of my forties) is to make better decisions in all areas of my life, including sleep.

One of those decisions is to give up alcohol, full stop.

This will not only benefit my sleep but also my overall health. I’m much more sensitive to alcohol these days, and that’s likely a symptom of me getting older. I was able to clean up my diet, so why not go the extra mile and eliminate alcohol, especially if it makes me feel so bad afterward?

Fortunately, I don’t think I’ll lose friends over this. At this point, the people I associate with are fairly understanding when someone doesn’t want to drink.

Plus, zero-proof drinks are so hot right now. Tom Holland launched a non-alcoholic beer. F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has a line of spirits distilled from blue agave. Kylie Minogue sells N/A rosé.

While the growing market of “social” non-alcoholic drinks makes it easier for me to adhere to my alcohol abstinence, I’m also fine with sticking with plain water. Nothing feels as good as doing something good for myself. That’s enough for me.

I’m not here to pontificate and insist you need to give up alcohol right the damn now, but if this Substack encourages you to reflect on how alcohol affects your sleep and general well-being, then I raise a glass of sober spirits to your good health.

“And now a word from our sponsor…”

Just kidding. Nobody sponsors this. And I’m not making a dime from the following…

Three Spirit contacted me about their Nightcap Non-Alcoholic Botanical Elixir. It was the right pitch at the right time: I had just chosen the alcohol-free life and I am currently sourcing sleep drinks for a story idea. I obliged and they sent me a bottle.

Based on the name, this is meant to be consumed before bed. It contains valerian root, lemon balm, and terpenes from Mosaic hops, all of which can help mellow you out and deliver a good night’s sleep, according to the brand.

So far I’ve had Nightcap cut with orange seltzer and as a cocktail mixed with apple juice, lemon juice, and bitters, The spices overwhelm my tongue when I drink it straight so it helps to balance it with other flavors.

Has Nightcap helped me fall asleep faster? I don’t think it’s made a huge difference for me one way or the other, outside of a very brief buzz.

Do I feel better in the morning after drinking Nightcap? Yeah, I feel pretty good, although I think my commitment to consistent bedtimes and waketimes is really helping me a lot here.

Will I keep drinking it before bed? Absolutely. It’s good and reminds me of some of the better liquor I've tried in my life.

As part of my nighttime routine, I like to have a drink at least an hour before bed. Right now I’m rotating my beverage options, but my current vibe is laying in bed wearing my favorite comfy PJs with a mocktail in hand and streaming Formula 1: Drive to Survive.

The Sandman: Three Spirit Nightcap, apple juice, lemon juice, and bitters.

Meanwhile, I am still looking for sleep drinks to test for an upcoming story and/or review. If you have any suggestions, send me a message. Thanks!

Question of the Week*

What’s one habit you developed or changed to improve your sleep? Share your experiences in the comments. You may inspire someone!

*Because nobody was answering the poll questions. Plus, this Substack is still new lemme do what I want.