Alcohol and Sleep

Because the liver can only process so much alcohol at a time—about one standard drink per hour—as you drink, alcohol builds up in the bloodstream and eventually makes its way to the brain. When you drink alcohol, it goes through the same process as any other food or drinks you consume. It travels down the esophagus and into the stomach where about 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed through the stomach lining and quickly enters the bloodstream. The less food you have in your stomach, the faster it travels and raises blood-alcohol levels. If you’re among the two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans that consumed alcohol in the last year (1), then you may have turned to the occasional nightcap for a little help falling asleep. Sleep is essential for consolidating information learned throughout the day and performing daily tasks.

1. This risk is particularly pronounced in individuals who already suffer from sleep apnea or other respiratory issues.
2. For menopausal women, in particular, disrupted sleep can trigger or worsen hot flashes.
3. If all else fails, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication such as an antidepressant or a sleeping pill.
4. Here, muscles become temporarily paralyzed but eye movement resumes, breathing and heart rate speed up, and the brain is very active.

Heart Rate

So while cutting out drinking will likely benefit your sleep, there may be other factors affecting your shuteye. This episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring neurologist and sleep expert Chris Winter, shares strategies for sleeping better at night. Sleep problems are often viewed as one of the last things to improve among people in alcohol recovery. Treatment options for sleep disturbances during alcohol recovery. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.

Whether you have had one or multiple drinks, it’s best to wait for your body to fully process the alcohol before heading to bed. In general, try to avoid drinking alcohol four hours before you plan on going to sleep. For people who snore or who have sleep apnea—a disorder that causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep—drinking alcohol tends to aggravate symptoms. The typical sleep cycle begins with three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages of sleep and ends with rapid eye movement (REM). During sleep, the body cycles through all of these stages every 90 to 120 minutes, with NREM sleep dominating the first part of the night and REM increasing during the second part of the night. Each stage is necessary for sleep to feel refreshing and for vital processes like learning and memory consolidation to occur.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alcohol before bed has been shown to lead to fragmented sleep and frequent waking. 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. If you sleep better when you don’t drink, you might consider stopping alcohol use entirely. However, if you continue to have sleeping difficulties, reach out to a sleep specialist. Alcohol may be consumed in beer, wine, and hard liquors like vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey.

The gut and its microbiome are often referred to as the body’s second brain, and operate under powerful circadian rhythm activity. The circadian disruption that can result from alcohol consumption contributes to leaky gut syndrome, according to research. According to British researchers, drinking alcohol before bed reduces your quality of sleep. If these steps aren’t enough and you’re still having sleep drunk episodes, talk to your doctor. Some people may need medication to reduce or eliminate the issue. Or you might have an undiagnosed sleep disorder or other health condition that needs care.

Although alcohol can initially have a sedative effect, it can lead to problems in the sleep cycle. Dr. Iatridis says it’s important to stop drinking at least four hours before bed to prevent sleep disruption. Sleep apnea is a common disorder where the airway collapses or becomes blocked during sleep.

What are the four stages of sleep?

For those who do consume alcohol, implementing strategies to improve sleep quality and reduce the negative impacts of drinking can help mitigate some of the risks. The relationship between alcohol consumption, sleep disturbances, and mental health is complex and bidirectional. Many individuals with anxiety or depression may turn vanderburgh house to alcohol as a form of self-medication, using its sedative effects to help them fall asleep. However, this approach often backfires, as alcohol-induced sleep disturbances can exacerbate symptoms of mental health disorders. The effects on overall sleep patterns and circadian rhythm can be long-lasting and detrimental to overall health.

Once it becomes acetic acid, it’s ready to break down into carbon dioxide and water. This taxing process breaks down about 90 percent of the alcohol you consumed to clear it out of your system (2, 3). By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health. Anyone who’s ever indulged in a drink or two knows that alcohol can make you real sleepy, real fast.

Another physiological effect of alcohol on sleep is its impact on melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle, and alcohol consumption can suppress its production, further disrupting natural sleep patterns. This disruption can extend beyond the night of drinking, affecting sleep quality for several days afterward. To fully understand the risks of sleeping while drunk, it’s important to delve deeper into the physiological impact of alcohol on sleep patterns. Alcohol affects various neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is responsible for inducing calmness and sleepiness.

Your friends or your partner may tell you that you’ve acted strangely upon waking up, but you might not remember. However, if sleep drunkenness occurs at least once a week, it’s recommended you see a doctor. Sleep drunkenness is when your brain has a particularly challenging time waking up, leading to feelings of confusion and grogginess. The symptoms can be so disorienting that it feels as if you are drunk even if you didn’t drink any alcohol the night before.

While the immediate risks of sleeping while intoxicated are alarming, the long-term health consequences of regularly engaging in this behavior are equally concerning. Chronic alcohol use, particularly when it involves frequent episodes of sleeping while drunk, can have profound effects on cognitive function and memory. Again, REM is our slow-wave, deeply restorative, and emotionally supportive stage (9). Walker refers to REM as “overnight therapy” and “emotional first-aid” because of its powerful influence on emotional reactivity, anxiety, fear, and mood.