Can body physiology change?

I’m 53 and really like to drink. I have a 45 commute home every day and like to cook nice meals so every night I have a cocktail as I cook that consists of two shots of vodka on ice in a highball glass topped with grapefruit juice. Sometimes I’ll have two. Yes, that’s 10-20 shots of vodka per week. I have been doing this for ten years. Due to a medical condition I see a doctor for bloodwork three times per year and there are no noticeable effects of this consumption. Liver’s good, blood sugar is good, cholesterol is good.

I have always been concerned that I might develop a dependency so every year for Lent I give up alcohol cold turkey. For six weeks I do not have a drop of alcohol. No exceptions, no cheating. On Easter Sunday I serve wine with dinner and resume my normal habit for the next ten and a half months.

This year, however, the experience has been completely different. If I have any alcohol at all my sleep that night is terrible. Bad dreams, fitful sleep; the whole experience is awful. On different days I have tried one beer, one glass of wine, one cocktail and one slowly enjoyed shot of very expensive single malt whisky. Doesn’t matter when I have it from lunchtime to after dinner, that night will be terrible.

If I can’t drink anymore, so be it. I will really be sad about the three partial bottles of Octomore in my pantry but this sleep issue is unacceptable.

Any ideas/thoughts?