Alcohol and Sleep: What You Need to Know 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Alcohol and Sleep: What You Need to Know 
Getty Images

By Stacey Feintuch from HealthyWomen’s Sleep center

It’s not surprising that we’re a little sleepy after drinking beer, wine or spirits. In fact, as many as 20 percent of Americans use alcohol to help them fall sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. While that nightcap before bed can help you fall asleep faster, you’ll be left with poor quality shuteye. It may not be a smart way to help you nod off and get solid slumber after all.

Here is what is happening:

You mess with your circadian rhythm.
Yes, you may fall asleep quickly after drinking. But you often wake up in the middle of the night. Why? Alcohol may impact the normal production of chemicals in the body that trigger sleepiness when you’ve been awake for a while and subside once you’ve had enough sleep. After you’re done drinking, you have more adenosine, a sleep-inducing brain chemical. So you fall asleep faster. But, it subsides quickly, so you’re likely to awaken before you’re truly rested.

You don’t get REM sleep.
REM sleep is often considered the most restorative sleep. It’s the deepest stage of sleep, the one during which you dream. But, when you drink, REM sleep is blocked. You’re likely to wake up feeling groggy and unfocused thanks to less REM sleep. Plus, since REM sleep helps boost memory, concentration and learning, you’ll have a rough day.

You have breathing difficulties.
Alcohol causes your whole body to relax, including your throat muscles. That makes you more prone to and worsens sleep issues like sleep apnea (a condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep) and snoring. Read about the most common sleep disorders.

You make extra bathroom trips.
Your body knows that nights aren’t for trips to the restroom. However, since alcohol is a diuretic, you’ll need to empty your bladder during the night. And that means your normal sleep patterns are interrupted. These are the top sleep stealers and how to combat them.

How to get better sleep with alcohol
If you do want to drink a little bit, here are some tips on how to still get a decent night’s sleep.

Use the old two-for-one rule.
Drink two glasses of water for every one alcoholic drink. That will help flush alcohol out of your system. If you’re having wine or a sugary drink, consume even more water; your body will need to flush out alcohol plus sugar. Find out the secrets of good sleepers.

Allow time before drinking and bedtime.
Aim to finish your beverage three to four hours before you want to hit the pillow. So if you want to go to sleep at 9 p.m., stop boozing by 6 p.m. The exact time, however, varies depending on your size, gender and alcohol intake.

Avoid fizz.
Bubbles in fizzy, carbonated mixers can cause gas and bloating, which distend our stomach. That gives more surface area for alcohol to be absorbed and interrupts your sleep.

For more information on the health topics mentioned in this article visit the HealthyWomen.org areas below.

Sleep: https://www.healthywomen.org/category/tags/sleep

© 2019 HealthyWomen.  All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from HealthyWomen. 1-877-986-9472 (toll free). On the Web at: www.HealthyWomen.org.  

HealthyWomen (HW) is the nation's leading independent health information source for women. Our core mission is to educate, inform and empower women to make smart health choices for themselves and their families.

For more than 20 years, millions of women have been coming to HW for answers to their most pressing and personal health care questions.

Through our wide array of online and print publications, HW provides health information that is original, objective, reviewed by medical experts and reflective of the advances in evidence-based health research.

www.HealthyWomen.org®, was named one of the "Top 100 Websites for Women" by ForbesWoman. In addition, Dr. Mehmet Oz recommended the site as his choice "for one-stop women's health advice" in O, The Oprah Magazine.

Health Smarts

HealthyWomen (HW) is the nation's leading independent health information source for women. Our core mission is to educate, inform and empower women to make smart health choices for themselves and their families. For more than 20 years, millions of women have been coming to HW for answers to their most pressing and personal health care questions. Through our wide array of online and print publications, HW provides health information that is original, objective, reviewed by medical experts and reflective of the advances in evidence-based health research. www.HealthyWomen.org®, was named one of the "Top 100 Websites for Women" by ForbesWoman. In addition, Dr. Mehmet Oz recommended the site as his choice "for one-stop women's health advice" in O, The Oprah Magazine.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.