Sleep and alcohol
Drinking alcohol before bed is linked with more slow-wave sleep patterns called delta activity. That’s the kind of deep sleep that allows for memory formation and learning. At the same time, another type of brain pattern—alpha activity—is also turned on. Alpha activity doesn’t usually happen during sleep, but rather when you’re resting quietly. Together the alpha and delta activity in the brain after drinking may inhibit restorative sleep. Another reason people get lower-quality sleep following alcohol is that it blocks REM sleep , which is often considered the most restorative type of sleep. With less REM sleep, you’re likely to wake up feeling groggy and unfocused.
Alcohol can have several effects on sleep, including:
Disrupting the normal sleep cycle: Alcohol can interfere with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to a fragmented sleep pattern.
Causing snoring and sleep apnea: Alcohol can relax the muscles in the throat and cause snoring and sleep apnea, which is a condition in which a person's breathing is briefly interrupted during sleep.
Increasing the need to urinate: Alcohol can cause the body to produce more urine, leading to more frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
Lowering the body's temperature: Alcohol can cause the body's core temperature to drop, leading to feeling cold and uncomfortable.
Reducing the amount of deep sleep: Alcohol can reduce the amount of deep, restorative sleep that a person gets, leading to feelings of fatigue and grogginess the next day.
Worsening sleep-related conditions: Alcohol can worsen certain sleep disorders, such as insomnia and sleepwalking.
Overall, alcohol can disrupt the quality of a person's sleep and make it more difficult to get a good night's rest. For these reasons, it is generally recommended to avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
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Sources:
The National Sleep Foundation: https://www.thensf.org/
Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
American Academy of Sleep Medicine: https://aasm.org/
