In summary, alcohol misuse (heavy alcohol use and AUD) appears to be linked in a bi-directional fashion to sleep-related problems such as insomnia and circadian rhythm abnormalities. The recommended treatment for insomnia disorder in the community, as well as those with AUD, is CBT-I. Alcohol is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the community. Alcohol also increases breathing-related sleep events such as snoring and oxygen desaturation, especially in those with pre-existing problems. Emerging data demonstrate that insomnia may co-exist with SSD and circadian abnormalities. Future studies should unravel these tentative associations in individuals who misuse alcohol.
How Does Alcohol Affect the Sleep Cycle?
Drops in blood oxygen levels (desaturations) become more pronounced and can in severe cases lead to hypercapnia (increased carbon dioxide), a potentially fatal condition. Remember that individual responses to alcohol vary, and even with these tips, alcohol consumption can still impact your sleep. The most effective way to ensure restful sleep is to establish healthy sleep habits and consider moderating alcohol consumption, particularly close to bedtime. If you’re having trouble sleeping, it’s important to explore healthier and more effective alternatives to address your sleep issues.
Drinking Water Before Bed
Exposure to light in the evenings might make it more challenging to fall asleep. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine take hours to wear off and can interfere with sleep.
Alcohol interferes with the body’s ability to produce GABA and mimics its effects, slowing down our brain’s activity. This is when we might notice someone having difficulty speaking or walking after consuming larger quantities of alcohol or notice them feeling drowsy. Jessica graduated with her master’s degree in Nursing research and education. She is a registered nurse and currently works in the Intensive Care Unit.
- In support of the alcohol-melatonin connection, researchers have noticed that individuals suffering from severe alcohol withdrawal tend to have less pronounced melatonin levels and release.
- Disruptions in REM sleep can have far-reaching consequences, including impaired cognitive performance, mood disturbances, and increased risk of certain mental health conditions.
- Identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get the better sleep you deserve.
How to achieve better sleep and sleep quality without alcohol
Alcohol appears to consistently delay the first REM sleep episode, and higher doses of alcohol appear to reduce the total amount of REM sleep. Suppressing REM sleep can have detrimental consequences for memory consolidation and other cognitive processes. Your daily habits and environment can significantly impact the quality of your sleep. If you’ve already overindulged and want to get back on track there are several strategies that can set you up for a better sleep the next night.
- Many people turn to alcohol to cope with difficult feelings, but alcohol may end up having the opposite effect if it interferes with sleep.
- So alcohol use may create sleep disruption, but the sleep disturbance in turn, elicits greater alcohol use.
- Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning it slows down all of the functions of your brain, ranging from thinking to breathing and other automatic functions.
- In particular, avoid heavy or large meals within a couple of hours of bedtime.
Alcohol Alters Sleep Stages
As blood alcohol levels rise and fall, alcohol exerts different effects on your sleep. Alcohol may appear to be a sleep aid, as it can induce a sedative-like effect. alcohol and sleep connection However, disrupted sleep patterns often follow this initial drowsiness, resulting in poor sleep quality. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which means it slows down brain activity and can interfere with the natural sleep cycle. Proceed with caution when drinking before bedtime, as alcohol may be affecting your sleep more than you realize. This may be especially true if you drink alcohol to help you fall asleep faster, and then experience disrupted sleep later in the night without realizing it.
While your internal clock regulates the kidney’s release of electrolytes and works to filter fluids, alcohol inhibits these processes. It is recommended you increase your daily water consumption and avoid drinking alcohol before bed to prevent its dehydrating effects. In the short term, these alterations to our sleep pattern can lead to a restless second half of the night. In the long term, frequent disruptions to our natural sleep cycle may alter the homeostatic drive in a more permanent way. People who consistently drink too much alcohol may eventually build up a tolerance to its initial sedative effects. Studies of chronic alcohol users have found that these individuals typically experience disrupted sleep patterns with less slow wave sleep and more REM sleep.
If your sleep problems persist, consider consulting a healthcare professional to identify and address the underlying causes of your sleep difficulties. People with alcohol use disorders commonly experience insomnia symptoms. Alcohol can exacerbate the symptoms of sleep apnea, a common condition where the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep.
Aim to finish your last alcoholic beverage at least 3–4 hours before your desired bedtime. One of the most significant impacts of alcohol on sleep is fragmentation, particularly in the latter half of the night. As the body metabolizes alcohol, it leads to more frequent awakenings, resulting in choppy, low-quality sleep. Alcohol’s diuretic effect often exacerbates this fragmentation, increasing the need for nighttime bathroom visits and further disrupting sleep continuity. Alcohol’s relationship with sleep onset is complex and often misleading.
People who wake up feeling unrefreshed may be more likely to rely on alcohol again to help them sleep the next night, leading to a counterproductive pattern of alcohol use. That’s because alcohol interferes with the ability to stay asleep and to get high-quality, deep sleep. Nearly half of adults over age 65 report having consumed alcohol in the past year, according to NCOA guest author and alcohol use researcher Paul Sacco. And sometimes, they say they’re drinking to cope with a challenging symptom like insomnia. “Almost every category of sleep disorders can be adversely affected by alcohol use, specifically chronic alcohol use,” says Dr. Foldvary-Schaefer. Light sleep tends to be more prevalent in the first few hours after hitting the sheets.
All of which contributes to both snoring and worsened sleep apnea symptoms. When alcohol functions like a sedative, making you feel sleepy, drowsy and getting you to fall asleep faster – is it still considered bad for sleep? We will walk you through common questions and misconceptions about alcohol and sleep and break down what alcohol does to the sleeping body at each sleep stage. A hint –alcohol and sleep simply don’t mix well – read on to understand why. As we’ve explored throughout this article, the relationship between alcohol and sleep is far more complex than it might initially appear. While many turn to alcohol as a quick fix for sleep troubles, the evidence clearly shows that this approach is counterproductive and potentially harmful in the long run.
How to sleep better after drinking alcohol
And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night. Alcohol can contribute to the development or worsening of PLMD, a condition characterized by involuntary limb movements during sleep, leading to disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue. Alcohol can relax the muscles in the throat, increasing the risk of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition characterized by repeated episodes of breathing interruptions during sleep. Alcohol consumption can disrupt the production and release of melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body’s circadian rhythms and promotes sleep. Unsurprisingly, studies of people with insomnia have also found that heavy alcohol use exacerbates insomnia.
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The concentration of alcohol hits most organs equally, except for the liver, which receives a higher “dose” due to its proximity to the small intestine and stomach. The process for alcohol to cross the blood-brain barrier occurs in approximately 5-10 minutes. Our reviewers go through an internal sleep health training course to insure that they are able to provide the most helpful and accurate information they can.
Based on data from roughly 160,000 Sleep Foundation profiles, nearly 90% of respondents who regularly consume alcohol in the evening have reported at least one sleep-related problem. Alcohol consumption significantly alters the normal progression through sleep stages, disrupting the natural sleep architecture. In the early part of the night, alcohol tends to increase deep sleep (N3 stage) while reducing REM sleep. This might initially feel like more restful sleep, but it’s actually a disruption of the natural sleep cycle.
