Author: Alex Thompson

Alcohol and insomnia: Possible risks and more

Anyone experiencing insomnia should speak with a doctor to learn more about what treatments may work best for them. An uncomfortable sleep environment can make getting a good night’s rest challenging. Here’s what else to know about the relationship between nightcaps and your nightly rest.

Night Eating Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

Symptoms of co-occurring disorders may heighten when you stop drinking alcohol. This typically happens to people who use alcohol to cope with the effects of mental health disorders. It’s best to treat any co-occurring disorders with proper detoxing from alcohol use to avoid severe withdrawal symptoms. Generally, even healthy alcohol consumption can lead to poor sleep quality. There is a higher prevalence of insomnia in people with ADHD and AUD, but consuming alcohol to manage insomnia generally worsens sleeplessness. Removing stimulant use six hours prior to sleep, and avoiding late meals and naps are simple advice that may be helpful.

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Sleep?

The majority of persons with sleep difficulty do not consult their physician with insomnia, which raises the question of how frequently alternative substances are used for sleep (6). Both insomnia and sleeping pill use increase with age, and alcohol is often used in conjunction with over-the-counter sleep medications (27,28). In the first half of the night, when the body is metabolizing alcohol, studies show people spend more time in deep, slow-wave sleep and less time in REM sleep. Sleep architecture is biologically driven and finely calibrated to meet the body’s needs during nightly rest—changes to the natural, typical structure of sleep aren’t generally good for health or well being. REM sleep, which gets shortchanged in the first half of the night under the influence of alcohol, is important for mental restoration, including memory and emotional processing. It’s not because I don’t appreciate a glass of wine with a great meal, or a few beers on a hot summer evening.

1. As such, clinical alertness to insomnia as a symptom of alcohol problems might facilitate timely intervention.
2. These fluctuations play a vital role in the sleep-wake cycle, and when they are weakened—or absent—a person may feel alert when they want to sleep and sleepy when they want to be awake.
3. The liver acts as a filtering system for the body, helping metabolize food and chemicals (including alcohol itself), and pulling toxins from the bloodstream.
4. Therefore, sleep disturbance during early recovery should be monitored closely with careful consideration of both behavioral and pharmacological treatment.
5. When a person drinks alcohol, doing so in small or moderate amounts several hours before sleep can reduce the chance of sleep issues.
6. Slow wave sleep effects diminish with repeated nights of alcohol consumption (13).

Side Effects of Insomnia

Though alcohol can have a sedative effect, it has also been linked to sleep disorders like insomnia. If you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, alcohol consumption could be a contributing factor. Experts recommend avoiding alcohol at least four hours before bedtime to prevent adverse effects on sleep. While heavy alcohol use can trigger insomnia, the opposite is also true. People with insomnia have an increased risk of developing alcohol use disorder, potentially because many individuals turn to alcohol as a sleep aid.

If insomnia makes it hard for you to do daily activities, see your doctor or another primary care professional. Your doctor will search for the cause of your sleep problem and help treat it. If it’s thought that you could have a sleep disorder, your doctor might suggest going to a sleep center for special testing. The link between alcohol consumption and sleep impairment is especially prominent among older adults.

A 2019 study showed that individuals who sleep for under 6 hours each night have a 20% higher chance of heart attack than individuals who sleep between 6 and 9 hours. Generally, females and older adults are at a higher risk for insomnia. Individuals with mental health conditions are also more likely to develop insomnia. 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. Even though a glass or two may help you initially drift off faster, it probably won’t benefit your sleep quality in the long run.

The Best Foods To Help You Sleep

If you drink, practice moderation and prioritize your health with strategies like staying hydrated and maintaining good sleep hygiene to minimize the negative effects on your sleep. Avoiding alcohol altogether is recommended for a truly restful and restorative night’s sleep. Sleep is essential for consolidating information learned throughout the day and performing daily tasks. Sleep disruptions from alcohol consumption can harm your overall health and well-being. This article discusses the science behind why alcohol makes you sleepy, how to minimize drowsiness while drinking, and the broader effects alcohol has on your sleep and overall health. If left untreated, insomnia can affect an addicted person’s recovery and contribute to relapse.

How to prevent disrupting sleep after drinking

Alcohol suppresses REM sleep, particularly during the first half of the night, reducing the amount of time you spend in this restorative sleep phase. Reduced REM sleep can leave you with brain fog and fatigue the following day. Sometimes, people connect their insomnia with alcohol use and vice versa. It’s also a common practice for some people to treat insomnia by consuming alcohol. The typical sleep cycle begins with three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages of sleep and ends with rapid eye movement (REM).

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production and fluid loss from the body more quickly than you can replace it. Dehydration zaps your energy levels, making you feel tired and less alert than usual. Poor sleep quality impairs your body’s ability to regulate body temperature. For menopausal women, in particular, disrupted sleep can trigger or worsen hot flashes.