How Does Alcohol Impact Sleep?
This includes disrupting our restful deep sleep, or REM sleep, leading to more periods of wakefulness. Alcohol can cause the muscles in your throat to relax, which creates more resistance when breathing. This can does alcohol make you sleep longer worsen sleep apnea symptoms by causing your airway to be more likely to collapse while sleeping. Ultimately it can make some people more vulnerable to sleep apnea or exacerbate the symptoms for those who already have it.
Why You May Feel Tired the Day After Drinking Alcohol
These conditions not only affect the individual but also impose a substantial economic burden on society. The reduction in quality of life for patients and their caregivers highlights the importance of awareness regarding these risks. We take care of your physical, mental and emotional health to help you achieve long lasting recovery. We dig deeper into why sleep matters for weight control and 7 ways sleep can help you reach your weight goals. The data shows that those working stressful jobs with long hours and low pay tend to use alcohol and other substances as a coping mechanism. This is a massive issue on its own but is especially problematic when the habit becomes cyclical.
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And no one will argue that it can shorten sleep latency (the time it takes you to fall asleep). However, the problem with alcohol and sleep often appears as the night progresses. Ultimately, your overall sleep quality will take a hit as the alcohol starts to metabolize and its effects begin to wear off.
Is a nightcap before bed still ok?
- Alcohol relaxes upper airway muscles, increasing the likelihood of the airways collapsing and more sleep apnea episodes, leading to more sleep disruptions.
- Having the occasional nightcap to unwind is no biggie and may help you fall asleep faster.
- And sometimes, they say they’re drinking to cope with a challenging symptom like insomnia.
- Scientists have been studying the relationship between alcohol and sleep since the 1930s.
Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Rodgers and the team at Sleep Better Georgia today so we can get to the root of your sleep problems and help find the solution that’s right for you. Keep in mind that for people with AUD, sleeping issues may persist through the withdrawal phase. Researchers from a 2020 study concluded that those with AUD need at least 5–9 months of abstaining from drinking in order to normalize their sleep duration and rhythm, so try to be patient with yourself during this time.
Dr. Abhinav Singh,
Some people feel that drinking alcohol before bed helps them doze off better. However, though it may get you to sleep quicker in the short term, you’ll most likely wake up in the night as a result. Aim to have finished your final drink at least three hours before you go to bed. If you fall asleep after drinking too much, your body will continue to break down the alcohol during the night. As your body works to lower your blood alcohol level, you may experience disrupted sleep and wake up more often than usual. It’s likely that most people reach for the hard stuff to help them sleep because alcohol, for all intents and purposes, is a sedative.
People with insomnia have an increased risk of developing alcohol use disorder, potentially because many individuals turn to alcohol as a sleep aid. The typical sleep cycle begins with three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages of sleep and ends with rapid eye movement (REM). During sleep, the body cycles through all of these stages every 90 to 120 minutes, with NREM sleep dominating the first part of the night and REM increasing during the second part of the night.
- This includes our risk of several cancers, the chances of breaking a bone after a minor fall, slower reaction times, and bad reactions to medications.
- Adrienne Santos-Longhurst is a Canada-based freelance writer and author who has written extensively on all things health and lifestyle for more than a decade.
- It’s important to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep) or sleep apnea (when breathing stops multiple time a night) if they are present.
- Research indicates that a moderate dose of alcohol up to an hour before bedtime can reduce melatonin production by nearly 20 percent.
Sedative Effects of Alcohol
Alcohol’s diuretic effects can also contribute to dehydration, as your body expels fluids faster than you replace them. While drinking alcohol before bedtime may help you feel relaxed and sleepy, enjoying a nightcap puts you at risk of experiencing repeated wakings and low-quality sleep later in the night. “Long-term alcohol-related sleep disruptions can result in persistent insomnia, chronic fatigue, and increasing the risks of mental health issues like depression and anxiety,” says Sharma.
If you find you’re really missing the taste of alcohol, there are plenty of zero-proof versions on the market to consider. If you want to avoid any ill-side effects of alcohol—at least as it relates to your sleep—cut yourself off around three hours before bedtime. The effects usually wear off after three or four hours, which will put you in better shape come bedtime. Research shows Halfway house that regular alcohol intake can reduce sleep quality over time, potentially causing issues such as insomnia. Alcohol also affects people with central sleep apnea (CSA), which occurs when the brain periodically stops sending certain signals involved in breathing. Alcohol interferes with the brain’s ability to receive chemical messages involved in breathing, which decreases the body’s respiratory drive and increases the likelihood of pauses in breathing.
If you have a supportive friend or partner who is also attending the festivities, ask them to keep you accountable to your new https://ecosoberhouse.com/ limit. The study also showed that alcohol affected men, women, and both active and sedentary individuals similarly. Perhaps surprisingly, it found that alcohol affected the sleep of younger people more than it did older adults. If you sleep better when you don’t drink, you might consider stopping alcohol use entirely. However, if you continue to have sleeping difficulties, reach out to a sleep specialist. If you think your drinking may be impeding your sleep or overall quality of life, speaking to your doctor or therapist is a great first step.
- She is also a fellow of the College of Chest Physicians, as well as the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
- The research also showed that sleep problems often occur before a person develops issues with alcohol, but alcohol dependence may also lead to insomnia, creating a complicated cycle.
- “For those not dependent on alcohol who wish to stop drinking, the results are quickly noticeable,” she notes.
- For men, this figure is 42% — up from 37% last year — while for women, it is a rise from 12% to 14%.
By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health. Lindsay Modglin is a nurse and professional writer who regularly writes about complex medical topics, as well as travel and the great outdoors. She holds a professional certificate in scientific writing from Stanford University School of Medicine and has contributed to many major publications including Insider and Verywell.