The Evening Routine
One of the first things you’re going to want to revamp as you’re exploring a break from alcohol is your evening routine.
Mine used to be getting home from work, pouring a glass of wine, doing dinner and bath time with the kids, and hitting the couch for tv time and more wine.
If you would typically start drinking right at the 5:00 hour you’re going to find yourself with a lot of new found free time in the evenings. Rather than white knuckling your way through your evening waiting for bedtime to roll around, try some relaxing self-care activities and get ready for bed early for a change.
A solid nightly routine with some intentional time side set aside for your future self does wonders for your mindset and fills the hours after work in a nourishing way. Washing your face, a skincare routine, oral care, reading, stretching, and meditating is a super supportive routine.
It can be very helpful early on to avoid the couch and a lot of TV watching or whatever activities are connected with your drinking habits. Replace this with some relaxing evening activities instead.
What really helped me as I was navigating longer breaks and eventually quitting were things like:
Skincare
Reading
Gratitude Practice
Stretching
Epsom Salt Baths
Practicing Relaxation Techniques
Meditation
Early Bedtime
Going to bed early as you’re exploring a break from alcohol is going to do wonders for restoring your nervous system and healing your body.
The science around sleep and alcohol is definitive. Alcohol is terrible for sleep. And waking up with hangxiety after a night of drinking is freaking real.
Getting a full nights rest without alcohol may feel challenging at first, but it doesn’t take long to get past that discomfort and you will wake up feeling like a million bucks. There is nothing better than waking up hangover free and ready to take on the day!!
It can take some time to find a rhythm and a routine that works for you, but evenings and nights can feel long if this is new behavior for you, so fill the time with some restorative self-care. Your future self will thank you!
