How to Sleep when Drunk

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1 Putting Yourself to Bed

2 Sleeping Safely and Soundly

3 Setting Yourself up for Successful Sleep

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Tips and Warnings

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Article Summary

Co-authored by Alex Dimitriu, MD

Last Updated: December 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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Getting a good night’s sleep can sometimes be a challenge when you’ve had one too many. You can improve your chances of waking up feeling rested and recharged by taking a few simple measures before you start knocking them back. Eat a balanced meal to help your system process all the alcohol that will soon be flowing through you, and make sure you’re getting plenty of water in between harder drinks. Once you get home, keep your room as dark and quiet as possible so you can sleep peacefully and without interruption. Most importantly, don’t forget to lie on your side in case you get sick in the middle of the night.

How to Fall Asleep When You’re Drunk

• Eat a light snack, like a banana or granola bar, and drink several glasses of water.
• Keep your room around 60-68° F (16-20° C) and make it as dark as possible.
• Sleep on your side and ask a friend to stay with you in case you get sick.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Putting Yourself to Bed

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1. 1
   Take a couple Ibuprofen when you get home to prevent headaches. Swallow the smallest recommended dosage with a large glass of water. A precautionary regimen of pain relievers will reduce your chances of being woken up with a splitting hangover headache.

   • No amount of pain pills will save you from a hangover headache if you get blasted to the point of blacking out. It’s best to just try not to overdo it in the first place.
   • Don’t mix Ibuprofen and alcohol if you’re allergic or have ever had an adverse reaction to the medication under normal conditions.

   Warning: Stay away from acetaminophen painkillers like Tylenol. These can be bad for your liver when paired with liquor.
2. 2
   Have a small snack to continue speeding up the absorption of alcohol. Nibble on something sweet, like a piece of fruit, granola bar, or a few peanut butter crackers. Wolfing down a quick snack before retiring for the night can be a lifesaver, especially if you didn’t eat much before you began enjoying your spirits.

   • Apples, bananas, and other grab-and-go fruits are a perfect pre-doze treat to maintain healthy blood sugar levels without filling you up too much.
   • Pass on overly sugary, oily, or processed foods. These could dehydrate you or unsettle your stomach while you’re trying to sleep.
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3. 3
   Drink a few more glasses of water to make sure you're fully hydrated. Once you've got a nutritious snack and a couple Ibuprofen on your stomach, refill your glass with 8–12 fluid ounces (240–350 mL) of water and drain it completely. Make sure you finish every last drop, and repeat as many times as needed until your post-party thirst is quenched.

   • Chances are good that you will have urinated one or more times since deciding to call it a night. Chugging a little H20 will restore vital fluids and help ensure that you don't dry out.
4. 4
   Leave some extra water on your bedside table just in case. You’ll then have a ready supply on hand if you wake up thirsty at any point. Remember, staying hydrated is one of the most important parts of recovering from a night of drinking. This is no less true around bedtime, especially since it will likely be a few hours before you take another sip.

   • Consider putting your water in a flask or thermos so you won’t end up with a soggy mess on your hands if you happen to clumsily knock it over.
5. 5
   Empty your bladder before you lie down. Make it a point to use the restroom one last time prior to tucking yourself in, even if you don’t feel like you need to go. You probably will before long, so you might as well limit the number of unnecessary trips you’re forced to make later on.

   • Ideally, you should situate yourself somewhere that’s close to a bathroom. Count on having to pee at least once during the course of the night.
   • Don’t be embarrassed if you have an accident. It doesn’t mean you’re a not a big boy or girl, it just means that the body has trouble controlling the bladder while inebriated.
   

   Chris Prentiss, World-Addiction Specialist

   When intoxicated, the urge to fall asleep may seem harmless or even welcome. However, alcohol depresses vital functions, so sleeping while extremely drunk can lead to choking, arrhythmias, or even death. If you or a friend becomes dangerously inebriated, seek medical care instead of succumbing to drowsiness — this decision could save a life.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Sleeping Safely and Soundly

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1. 1
   Set the temperature in your home to a mild 60–68 °F (16–20 °C). Taking in an excessive amount of alcohol increases blood flow, which can cause you to become hot and bothered in a hurry. By nudging the thermostat down a few degrees, you can guarantee that you’ll stay cool and comfortable while your body temperature is elevated above normal levels.

   • It can already be tough to fall and stay asleep when you’re too warm. That goes double when you’ve been drinking heavily.
   • Bring an extra blanket to bed with you so you don’t freeze when you begin returning to a normal temperature.
2. 2
   Draw the curtains to darken the room as much as possible. The darker it is in your room, the easier it will be to fall asleep. You’re also much more sensitive to light while you’re intoxicated. Even a soft sunbeam could seem like a spotlight if it happens to fall directly on your face. If you don’t have curtains in your room, pull the shades to cut down on the excess light pouring in from outside.

   • If irritating ambient light is still a problem, an eye mask can keep your peepers off limits once and for all.
   • Close the curtains or leave your eye mask lying on your bed before you go out. You might not remember to do it later when you're tired and disoriented.
3. 3
   Silence your cell phone and other potential distractions. Set your cell phone to silent mode, turn off the TV, and put away any other devices that could sound off unexpectedly while you’re counting sheep. As with light, noise also tends to intensify with drunkenness, and the slightest beep, chirp, or buzz could be enough to rouse you from your alcohol-induced slumber.

   • Double-check that you’ve muted or powered down all problem electronics before you crawl into bed. The last thing you want is to have to get up again after you’ve finally gotten cozy.
   • Be careful not to make the mistake of deactivating your alarm with the rest of your devices, unless you’ve got the following morning off from work or school (in which case it may do you some good to sleep in).
4. 4
   Ask a friend to stay the night with you. It’s always a good idea to have someone else nearby if you’ve been hitting the bottle a little too hard. “Sleep it off” may be common advice, but it can actually be dangerous to fall asleep if you’ve consumed an unsafe amount.

   • If any of your companions are still sober, see if they’d be willing to sleep over at your place or let you crash at theirs.

   Tip: Make sure your friend knows to dial 911 if you lose consciousness (as opposed to phasing in and out of ordinary sleep), begin vomiting uncontrollably, or experience convulsions or other alarming symptoms.
5. 5
   Curl up on your side in case you get sick at any point. This is the only position that it’s safe to sleep in while you’re still actively drunk. Once you’re nestled in bed or on the couch, prop a pillow up behind you to stop yourself from accidentally rolling over onto your back. Then, do your best to stay put and rest peacefully until morning arrives.

   • Lying face-up or face-down puts you at risk of choking on your own vomit if you throw up in your sleep. As gross as it sounds, it’s definitely no laughing matter.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Setting Yourself up for Successful Sleep

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1. 1
   Make sure you’ve slept well for several nights before drinking. If you know you’re going to be hitting the town or crashing a rager come the weekend, try to get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night leading up to your outing. That way, one night of tossing and turning won’t cause your overall sleep patterns to suffer too much.

   • If you’re already sleep-deprived by the time you start tying one on, you’re guaranteed to feel it more by the time you have a few drinks in you.
   • By the same token, it’s advisable not to put yourself in a position where you’re forced to sacrifice a night of sleep more than about once a week.
2. 2
   Eat a balanced meal so you're not on an empty stomach. Choose foods that are high in proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, like meats and other rich, hearty offerings. Starting out with a little food in you will keep you from hitting your limit too quickly and make it easier for your body to absorb and process all the alcohol in your system.

   • A handful of pretzels at the bar won’t cut it, but a greasy cheeseburger or chicken quesadilla can help minimize the damage you do to yourself over the course of a wild night.
   • If you don’t have an opportunity to sit down to a full meal, go heavy on nutrient-dense snacks like nuts, cheese, and fruit to keep your blood sugar up.
3. 3
   Pace yourself with water to ensure that you stay hydrated. For every cocktail or shot you throw back, drink at least 8 fluid ounces (240 mL) of water to balance out your fluid levels. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that the more you drink, the worse you’ll have to pee. Consistently replenishing the water in your cells will keep dehydration from sneaking up on you.

   • Carry a bottle of water with you so you won’t be at your server or bartender’s mercy for refills.
   • Dehydration is the primary culprit for the achey, disoriented feelings associated with hangovers.

   Tip: Plain water is your best friend when it comes to staying hydrated, not sugary drinks like soda or juice, which require water to digest properly.
4. 4
   Avoid mixed drinks containing caffeine. Stick to cocktails that don’t include cola, coffee, or souped-up energy drinks. This one is a no-brainer—since caffeine is a stimulant, it’s one of the worst things you can put in your body if you plan on catching some Zs in the near future. Vodka and Red Bull might mix well, but caffeine and restful sleep don’t.

   • Other popular caffeine-laden libations to steer clear of include rum and Cokes, Long Island iced teas, SoCo 7s, Irish coffees and car bombs, and Four Loko.
   • If you have to have a little soda in your spritzer, go with a 7 and 7, which usually calls for caffeine-free lemon lime soda.
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Tips

• Popping a multivitamin (or a few choice supplements like thiamine, folic acid, and magnesium) after a night of heavy drinking can hold off or soften the effects of a hangover.
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• If you’re going out to do your drinking, make sure you have a reliable means of getting back home. There’s always Uber, Lyft, and local cab services.
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• The best way to keep alcohol from getting in the way of your beauty sleep is, of course, to drink in moderation.
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Warnings

• Never use sleep aids to try to get to sleep faster when you’re drunk. When combined with alcohol, which is a depressant, they could interfere with your normal sleep cycles or ability to breathe in a big way.
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• Avoid snoozing anywhere that it’s hazardous or illegal to do so. Seriously, nobody sleeps well in a jail cell.
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