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Why Sleep and Alcohol Don’t Mix

SCOFA Alcohol and Sleep

 
Medically reviewed by
Dacelin St Martin, MD
Triple board-certified in Sleep Medicine,
Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics.

 
 

A Complex Relationship | Statistics  |  Effects of Alcohol on Sleep  |  Impact on Health | Conclusion

 

SCOFA Alcohol and Sleep

Use the player to listen to the article and/or continue to read below.

 

Introduction

Alcohol consumption and sleep have a complicated relationship. It’s a common belief that alcohol helps with sleep; however, this is a misconception.

The fact is that alcohol can negatively affect the quality and duration of your sleep. Alcohol consumption interferes with the REM sleep phase, thereby contributing to several health issues. 

Here is an analysis of the relationship between alcohol and sleep. We will also discuss how alcohol disrupts your REM sleep, including how it increases your risk of having a sleep disorder. 

 

A Complex Relationship

Research studies have found that consuming alcohol in the evening hours can substantially increase the risk of sleep disorders, like insomnia and sleep apnea. 

When alcohol is consumed, it’s absorbed into your bloodstream from the stomach and intestine. The digestive enzymes in the liver metabolize alcohol through a prolonged process. 

As a result, excess alcohol continues to circulate throughout the blood for several hours after consumption. 

The alcohol in the bloodstream produces a sedative effect on the brain by interacting with several important neurotransmitters responsible for regulating sleep.[1]

As a result, drinking before sleep may lead to a reduced sleep-onset latency early in the night. Basically, what this means is that alcohol makes you fall asleep faster. 

Due to this sedative effect, some people use alcohol as a sleep aid, which is a huge no-no. They believe that the consumption of alcohol will help them sleep soundly, whereas the reality is that it only reduces the sleep-onset latency period, helping them sleep well only for the initial few hours of the night while the alcohol levels in the blood are high.[2]

However, with a subsequent decline in blood alcohol levels, they may experience poor quality sleep or disturbed sleep later in the night. 

Alcohol may prevent you from reaching a deeper level of sleep and cause you to experience sleep disruption in the latter part of your sleep cycle.

Unfortunately, many people attempt to use alcohol as a sleep aid while being unaware that alcohol can exacerbate sleeplessness.  

 

Statistics

Here’s a quick look at alcohol and sleep-related statistics. 

  • It’s estimated that 252 days are lost across the entire workforce in the US due to sleep disturbances every year.
  • Nearly 30% of the adult population in the US has some form of insomnia.
  • Nearly 20% of adults in the US consume alcohol to fall asleep.

These numbers indicate why it is essential to address insomnia using the right strategies and clear the myth that alcohol can improve sleep.[3]  The amount of alcohol consumed determines the liver’s efficiency to metabolize it.[4] In other words, the more you drink, the harder your liver has to work to break down the alcohol. 

SCOFA Alcohol Affects Sleep

 

Effects of Alcohol on Sleep  

 

Sleep Latency Period

Though consuming a small amount of alcohol can reduce the sleep latency period, it may produce an opposite effect when consumed in larger quantities.[5]

Research studies have proven that people who consume a large amount of alcohol before bedtime may have a delayed sleep onset, which means they may need more time to fall asleep.[6]

Daytime Alcohol Intake

Some people believe that consuming alcohol during the daytime or early evening hours would not impair their sleep quality. However, research studies have revealed that liver enzymes metabolize alcohol during their night hours. 

Hence, the alcohol consumed during the daytime would be metabolized more efficiently during the night, thus producing an adverse impact on sleep. 

Studies also reveal that alcohol consumed even 5 to 6 hours before bedtime may increase wakefulness during the later part of sleep, even when the alcohol consumed has been eliminated from the body.  

Effect on REM Sleep

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep plays a crucial role in determining the quality of sleep. REM sleep kicks in about 70 to 90 minutes after you fall asleep. The eye movements restart once you enter this deeper phase of sleep. Your breathing rate and heartbeat also quicken during this phase. 

This stage is also believed to play a critical role in promoting healing and repair processes of the body and supporting memory consolidation.[7]

Studies find that drinking alcohol before bedtime can suppress REM sleep. Though alcohol’s sedative effect can shorten the sleep onset as the night progresses, it can create an imbalance between your REM sleep.[8]

Also, the initial sedative effect produced by alcohol on the brain may wear off quickly and prevent you from entering the deep sleep phase. It may reduce the overall sleep quality and result in shorter sleep duration and frequent sleep disruptions.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Chronic alcoholism is linked to a higher risk of sleep apnea. It’s a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated awakening with gasping for air or difficulty in breathing.[9]

Drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol before going to bed can cause narrowing of the air passage, resulting in more frequent sleep apnea episodes.[10]

Testing is made convenient and affordable through home testing. MH Sleep Testing offers testing from the comfort of home with a device that’s no larger than a cell phone.

 

Impact on Health

Poor REM sleep and frequent sleep disturbances caused due to alcohol intake may affect your mental and physical health and increase the risk of other symptoms.[11] 

  • Daytime fatigue,[12]  reduced focus and alertness during daytime 
  • Depression and anxiety disorders[13]
  • Obesity 
  • Risk of accidents or injuries due to reduced alertness 

 

Conclusion

Insomnia and alcoholism are known to co-exist. If you are having trouble sleeping, alcohol could be one of the factors responsible. 

Avoiding the consumption of alcohol is considered vital for restoring the quality and duration of your sleep. It may also help enhance your REM sleep and provide relief from disorders linked to poor sleep quality, such as depression and sleep apnea. 

If you’re experiencing problems with sleeplessness, make an appointment to see your doctor. Self-medicating with alcohol is not the solution for better sleep. 

 

References:  

  1. Hendler R. A., Ramchandani V. A., Gilman J., and Hommer, D. W. (2013). Stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Current topics in behavioral neurosciences, 13, 489–509. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2011_135. 
  2. Ian M. Colrain, Christian L. Nicholas, and Fiona C. Baker. (2018). Alcohol and the Sleeping Brain. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. 125: 415–431. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00024-0. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/. 
  3. Cooper Smith. (2020). Alcohol and Insomnia. Alcohol Rehab Guide. https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/dual-diagnosis/alcohol-and-insomnia/. 
  4. Michael D. Stein, and Peter D. Friedmann. (2009). Disturbed Sleep and Its Relationship to Alcohol Use. Substance Abuse. 26(1): 1–13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2775419/. 
  5. Timothy Roehrs and Thomas Roth. Sleep, Sleepiness, and Alcohol Use. National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm. 
  6. Ian M. Colrain, Christian L. Nicholas, and Fiona C. Baker. (2014). Alcohol and the Sleeping Brain. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. 125: 415–431. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62619-6.00024-0. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/. 
  7. Björn Rasch and Jan Born. (2013). About Sleep’s Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews. 93(2): 681–766. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00032.2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768102/. 
  8. Michael D. Stein, and Peter D. Friedmann. (2009). Disturbed Sleep and Its Relationship to Alcohol Use. Substance Abuse. 26(1): 1–13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2775419/. 
  9. Evangelia Simou, John Britton, and Jo Leonardi-Bee. (2018). Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine. 42: 38–46. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.12.005. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5840512/. 
  10. Paul E. Peppard, Diane Austin, M.S. and Richard L Brown. (2007). Association of Alcohol Consumption and Sleep Disordered Breathing In Men And Women. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 15; 3(3): 265–270. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2564771/. 
  11. Alexandros N. Vgontzas. (2008). Excessive Daytime Sleepiness in Sleep Apnea: It’s Not Just Apnea Hypopnea Index. Sleep medicine. 9(7): 712–714. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2586951/.
  12. Sergio Garbarino, Egeria Scoditti, and Paola Lanteri. (2018). Obstructive Sleep Apnea With or Without Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Clinical and Experimental Data-Driven Phenotyping. Frontiers in Neurology. 9: 505. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00505. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6030350/.
  13. Bincy Joshwa, Deepika C Khakha, and Sandeep Mahajan. (2012). Fatigue and depression and sleep problems among hemodialysis patients in a tertiary care center. Saudi Journal of Kidney Diseases and Transplantation. 23(4):729-35. doi: 10.4103/1319-2442.98149. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22805385/.