A team of neuroscientists and sleep researchers at the EP Bradley Hospital Sleep Research Laboratory, in collaboration with colleagues at Brown University and the Providence VA Medical Center, found that instead of improving sleep, consuming alcohol before going to bed can cause a reduction in REM sleep.
The results of the study were published in Sleep magazine.
Alcohol before going to sleep: this is why it is not recommended
Previous research has shown that REM sleep takes up about 20% of a typical night's sleep, but it's still important. While scientists still don't understand the purpose of REM sleep, they know that people who don't get enough of it can experience emotional problems, mental acuity difficulties, and memory problems.
In this new study, researchers explored whether consumption before bed could have a positive or negative impact on sleep quality and REM sleep in particular. To find out, they recruited 30 adult volunteers who spent three consecutive days and nights on two occasions in a sleep lab, where their brains could be monitored while they slept.
To assess the impact of drinking alcohol before bed, the researchers served only a mixer (ingredients typically used to make cocktails) during one of their stays and a mixer with added alcohol in the other. Both times the drink was consumed an hour before the volunteer went to bed.
The research team found that drinking just one alcoholic drink led to an increase in slow-wave sleep on all three nights. It also reduced the duration of REM sleep. Overall, they found that volunteers were able to fall asleep faster after consuming alcohol, but their sleep quality suffered due to shorter REM periods.
They also noticed that drinking an alcoholic beverage on consecutive nights did not change the amount of REM sleep affected: their body did not adapt to overcome the effects of alcohol. The team concludes that drinking even a small amount of alcohol before going to bed can negatively affect the quality of sleep.
You came home after a long day at work, ate dinner, put the kids to bed, and then drank your usual shot of alcohol before falling asleep. Or maybe you're at the pub for your work Christmas party and think you'll just have one more drink before you head home.
Soon after drinking, alcohol enters the bloodstream and travels to the brain.
There it affects chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters and slows communication between nerve cells.
Some regions of the brain are particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. When alcohol interacts with cells in these regions, the overall effect leads to those characteristic sensations of relaxation, reduced inhibitions, slurred speech and can induce feelings of drowsiness and lethargy.
Alcohol can also have immediate effects on the heart and circulatory system. Blood vessels dilate, causing a drop in blood pressure, which can make you dizzy or lightheaded.
Drinking alcohol before bed is like flipping a switch. At first, alcohol has a sedative effect and you will likely feel more relaxed and fall asleep easily.
At this point, you still have a high blood alcohol level. But don't be fooled. As your body processes the alcohol and the night continues, alcohol actually disturbs your sleep.
As your body processes the alcohol and your blood alcohol level drops, your brain recovers from the drowsiness you would have felt at the beginning of the night.
This disturbs your sleep and can wake you up several times, especially in the second half of the night. You may also have vivid, stressful dreams.
This sleep disruption primarily involves deep sleep, “rapid eye movement,” or REM sleep.
This type of sleep plays an important role in emotion regulation and cognitive function. So not having enough explains why you wake up feeling pretty disgusted and groggy.
Drinking alcohol before bed also tends to mean you sleep less overall, meaning important rest and recharging times are reduced.
There are also long-term effects of alcohol on sleep. Moderate and heavy drinkers consistently have poor sleep quality and greater sleep disturbances over time.
If you plan on drinking this holiday season, here are some tips to minimize alcohol's effect on sleep:
Swap out any other drinks. Try swapping every second drink for a soft drink. The more alcohol you drink, the more sleep disturbances you can expect. Reducing how much you drink in one sitting can minimize the effect on sleep
Avoid drinking alcohol before going to sleep. If you give your body a chance to process alcohol before going to sleep, your sleep will be less disturbed
Eat while you drink. Drinking on an empty stomach will worsen the effects of alcohol as the alcohol will be absorbed more quickly. So try eating something while you drink
Ditch the espresso martinis and other caffeinated drinks. Caffeine can make it difficult to fall asleep and difficult to stay asleep.
Be careful if you have sleep apnea. People who suffer from sleep apnea (when their upper airways become repeatedly blocked during sleep) may be even more affected by alcohol consumption. This is because alcohol can act as a muscle relaxant, leading to more snoring and lower blood oxygen levels. If you suffer from sleep apnea, limiting the amount of alcohol you drink is the best way to avoid these effects
Drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated will help you sleep better and hopefully ward off the worst hangovers tomorrow.
Nearly 7 in 10 Americans have lost sleep because they drank too much alcohol before bed, including 1 in 5 who frequently suffer from this problem.
In the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) survey, men are more likely to say they have lost sleep due to alcohol use than women (75% vs. 60%), and adults aged 35 and 44 year olds (78%) are the most likely to have a drink too late at night.
“Although you might think that alcohol helps you sleep, there are negative effects to having a drink before bed,” said AASM president Dr. Kannan Ramar, a sleep medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic .
“Alcohol use can fragment sleep, leading to more frequent awakenings during the second half of the night,” Ramar explained in an AASM press release.
Research shows that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol an hour before bed reduces the production of melatonin, which can disrupt the internal clock that helps regulate the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle.
Other ways alcohol can harm sleep include:
Cause new or worsen existing sleep disorders, including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea.
It causes excessive relaxation of the muscles of the head, neck and throat, which can interfere with normal breathing during sleep.
Causing more frequent trips to the bathroom, especially in the second half of the night.
Increasing the risk of parasomnias, including sleepwalking and night eating.
Alcohol-related sleep disorders can cause fatigue the next day.
Here are some tips on how to avoid alcohol-related sleep problems:
- Drink your last drink three to four hours before bed.
- Try to drink two glasses of water for every alcoholic drink. This will help your system eliminate the alcohol.
- Don't drink fizzy drinks, which can cause bloating and gas.
- Have a light snack before going to bed. Food delays the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, which can help reduce blood alcohol content.
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