This is incredibly common! Many people believe that consuming a few drinks before bedtime helps them sleep better; that’s why it’s called a “nightcap.” However, the popular belief that alcohol positively impacts sleep couldn’t be further from the truth! Today, let’s dive into how alcohol affects our sleep and learn some tips for improving our sleep quality.

Overview of Sleep

When we go to sleep, we wake up in the morning feeling like no time has passed. However, our brain is quite active as we sleep! As we sleep, we move through four individual stages in roughly 90-minute cycles all night long. Each stage is unique, and we must spend quality time in each one throughout the night to wake up rejuvenated and energized.

One of these sleep stages is classified as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and the other three fall under the category of non-REM sleep. REM sleep is characterized by dreaming and it’s essential for memory consolidation and emotional processing.

Beyond sleep stages, we also have a built-in biological 24-hour clock known as our circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm regulates when we feel sleepy and alert by responding primarily to light changes in our environment. When we start feeling tired, it’s because our circadian rhythm detects low light and releases melatonin (the sleep-wake cycle hormone), signaling sleep.

Now that we’ve broadly discussed sleep (if you want to learn more, check out our course “Improving Our Sleep Quality”), let’s dig into how alcohol interacts with it.

Alcohol and the Circadian Rhythm

Alcohol is a depressant, so it slows down the central nervous system, acting as a sedative. This can sometimes make it easier to fall asleep initially. However, as the brain recognizes a depressant in the physical system, it releases wakeful stimulants such as adrenaline.

You might have noticed that you typically wake up at around 2 or 3 a.m. on days you drink. This is because as the sedative effects of alcohol begin to fade, our body’s adrenaline takes control and wakes us up!

This process makes us much more prone to sleep disruptions during the night, shortening our overall sleep duration. It also causes issues with our circadian rhythms since as soon as we add alcohol to the mix, our bodies no longer naturally control when we feel alert and when we feel sleepy.

Alcohol and the Sleep Stages

As mentioned, consuming alcohol before bed leads to frequent disruptions during the night due to adrenaline. These interruptions then cause an imbalance in the amount of time we spend in our different sleep phases. Alcohol specifically tends to interfere with our REM sleep, so we end up devoting disproportionate time to non-REM sleep. We no longer spend nearly enough time in the REM stage of our sleep cycles.

Though it may seem harmless, losing out on REM sleep significantly impacts our overall sleep quality. As mentioned earlier, the REM sleep stage is a critical period for restoration, emotional processing, and memory consolidation. If we feel like we can’t recall everything that happened during a night of drinking, it’s because alcohol interfered with this important sleep stage.

Struggling To Sleep? We Have Some Tips

Now that we’re cutting back on alcohol, our brains and bodies are already working toward readjusting. These sleep processes will heal within a matter of weeks.

In the meantime, this is also a critical time to work on our sleep hygiene. Proper sleep hygiene can help us fall asleep more quickly and give us a better night’s rest as our brains recover.

Augment your sleep with these tips:

• ‍Two Hours Before Bedtime Reduce or eliminate screen time.
• Wear blue-light-blocking glasses if you do use screens in the evening.
• Develop an evening routine that signals to your brain that it’s time to go to sleep.
• Try a guided meditation.
• Create a relaxing and inviting environment in your bedroom, limiting light.
• Aim to sleep at the same time every day.
• Right Before Bedtime turn on a white noise machine.
• ‍ Enhance your room with familiar and relaxing scents.
• ‍Set the temperature to be cool, but not cold.

The Next Morning:

• ‍Wake up at the same time every day.
• ‍Exercise in the morning or afternoon (evening workouts may disrupt sleep).
• ‍Limit caffeine intake during the day, especially in the afternoon and evening.

‍As time goes by and you stick to your cutback goals, you’ll notice positive improvements in your sleep. Soon enough, you’ll be feeling more energetic each and every day!

Want to take it a step further?

Try the Reframe App for one month, free! This science-backed program helps you reach your drinking goals and make lasting changes. 91% of Reframe users reported a significant reduction in alcohol consumption within 3 months. Ready to change your relationship with alcohol? Email julie@wholewellnesstribe.com and get one month free!