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Hockey is a fast, high-intensity sport that demands peak physical and mental performance. Between early morning skates, heavy lifts, and late-night practices, recovery is just as important as training itself. And while most of us focus on nutrition, supplements, and sleep, one factor that often gets overlooked is alcohol.
It’s easy to justify a few drinks—celebrating after a big win, winding down after a long week, or just socializing with teammates. But the reality is that alcohol has a direct, measurable impact on recovery, sleep, and performance. I’ve been tracking my WHOOP data for months, and every time I drink, the numbers tell the same story: worse sleep, lower recovery, and an overall dip in how I feel the next day.
Let’s break down exactly how alcohol affects the body, what my own data shows, and what you can do to minimize the impact if you still want to enjoy a drink every now and then.
Sleep How Alcohol Impacts My Recovery (According To WHOOP)
- Recovery Score Drops by -6 on Average
Every time I log alcohol, my WHOOP Recovery score takes a -6 hit compared to nights when I don’t drink. That might not sound huge, but in a sport where every percentage of recovery matters, it adds up fast. A lower recovery score means my body is under more strain, taking longer to bounce back from workouts and games.
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Drops
HRV is one of the best indicators of overall recovery, measuring how well your body is adapting to stress. When I drink, my HRV drops noticeably, which means my nervous system is struggling to recover properly.
- Resting Heart Rate Increases
Alcohol makes the heart work harder while you sleep, raising your resting heart rate. Instead of my body going into full recovery mode at night, it’s dealing with the stress of metabolizing alcohol.
The Sleep Problem: Less REM, More Light Sleep
One of the worst effects of alcohol is how much it disrupts sleep quality. WHOOP tracks my REM and deep sleep, which are the most important stages for physical and mental recovery. After drinking, I consistently see:
- Less REM & Deep Sleep
REM sleep is critical for cognitive function, reaction time, and memory—basically everything that helps you process plays faster and make better decisions on the ice. Deep sleep is when the body repairs muscles, releases growth hormone, and strengthens the immune system. Alcohol cuts into both of these, leaving me with more light sleep instead.
- Feeling Less Rested
Even if I sleep 7-8 hours after drinking, I still wake up feeling less refreshed. That’s because sleep quality matters more than sleep quantity, and alcohol destroys sleep quality.
- Increased Wake-Ups During the Night
Alcohol may make you fall asleep faster, but it actually leads to more wake-ups throughout the night. This fragmented sleep is another reason why you feel sluggish the next day.
Performance Trade-Off: Is It Worth It?
I’ve logged alcohol 10 times as “yes” and 75 times as “no” in WHOOP. The difference between drinking and not drinking is clear:
- When I avoid alcohol: I recover faster, my HRV is higher, and I have more energy in training. My workouts feel sharper, and I wake up feeling ready to go.
- When I drink: My recovery score is lower, I feel sluggish in the morning, and everything—skating, lifting, even focus—feels slightly off. It’s not always a huge difference, but in a sport where small margins matter, it adds up.
The reality is, if I want to be at my best, alcohol is one of the easiest things to limit.
How to Minimize Alcohol’s Impact on Recovery
If you’re not ready to cut out alcohol completely (and let’s be real, most people aren’t), here are some ways to reduce its impact so it doesn’t completely wreck your recovery.
- Hydrate Aggressively
Alcohol dehydrates you, which makes recovery even worse. For every drink, have at least one full glass of water. Adding electrolytes can help replenish sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which alcohol flushes out.
- Stop Drinking Early
Your body metabolizes about one drink per hour. The earlier you stop drinking, the better your sleep will be. Try to cut off alcohol at least 3-4 hours before bed so your body can process it before you sleep.
- Stick to Lighter Drinks
Darker alcohols like whiskey, rum, and red wine have more congeners, which are byproducts of fermentation that make hangovers worse. Lighter options like vodka, tequila, or gin with soda are easier on the body.
- Eat Before You Drink
Drinking on an empty stomach causes alcohol to hit your bloodstream faster, which makes the effects worse. A meal with protein, healthy fats, and carbs before drinking slows absorption and reduces the impact.
- Prioritize Sleep the Next Night
If you drink, try to make up for lost REM and deep sleep by getting an extra hour of sleep the next night. Alcohol debt is real, and one bad night of sleep can mess with recovery for days.
- Track Your Data
If you use WHOOP or another fitness tracker, start logging alcohol and look at your sleep and recovery data. Seeing the numbers makes it impossible to ignore the impact.
Final Thoughts: Is Alcohol Worth It?
At the end of the day, alcohol is a personal choice. But if you’re serious about performance, the impact is real. Even occasional drinking can mess with sleep, recovery, and overall energy levels.
I’m not saying never drink—but for me, limiting alcohol is one of the easiest ways to optimize performance. My WHOOP data has made it clear: when I drink less, I sleep better, recover faster, and perform better on the ice.
If you track your recovery, have you noticed alcohol affecting your numbers? Let me know in the comments or DM me—I’d love to hear your experience.
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