Alcohol and Sleep

How Does Alcohol Affect Sleep?

After a person consumes alcohol, the substance is absorbed into their bloodstream Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. View Source from the stomach and small intestine. Enzymes in the liver eventually metabolize the alcohol, but because this is a fairly slow process, excess alcohol will continue to circulate through the body. The effects of alcohol largely depend on the person. Important factors include the amount of alcohol and how quickly it is consumed, as well as the person’s age and body composition.

The relationship between alcohol and sleep Trusted Source National Institutes of Health (NIH) The NIH, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. View Source has been studied since the 1930s, yet many aspects of this relationship are still unknown. Research has shown that those who drink large amounts of alcohol before bed are often prone to decreased sleep onset latency, meaning they take less time to fall asleep. As liver enzymes metabolize the alcohol during the night and blood alcohol levels decrease, these individuals are also more likely to experience sleep disruptions and decreases in sleep quality.

To understand how alcohol impacts sleep, it is important to understand the different stages of the human sleep cycle. A normal sleep cycle consists of four different stages: three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages and one rapid eye movement (REM) stage.

• Stage 1 (NREM): This initial stage is the transition period between wakefulness and sleep, during which the body will begin to wind down. The sleeper’s heartbeat, breathing, and eye movements start to slow down and their muscles will relax. Brain activity also begins to decrease. This phase is also known as light sleep.
• Stage 2 (NREM): The sleeper’s heartbeat and breathing rates continue to slow as they progress toward deeper sleep. Their body temperature will also decrease and the eyes become still. Stage 2 is usually the longest of the four sleep cycle stages.
• Stage 3 (NREM): Heartbeat, breathing rates, and brain activity all reach their lowest levels of the sleep cycle. Eye movements cease and the muscles are totally relaxed. This stage is known as slow-wave sleep.
• REM: REM sleep begins about 90 minutes after the individual initially falls asleep. Eye movements will restart and the sleeper’s breathing rate and heartbeat will quicken. Dreaming primarily takes place during REM sleep. This stage is also thought to play a role in memory consolidation Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

These four NREM and REM stages repeat in cyclical fashion throughout the night. Each cycle should last roughly 90 to 120 minutes Trusted Source Merck Manual First published in 1899 as a small reference book for physicians and pharmacists, the Manual grew in size and scope to become one of the most widely used comprehensive medical resources for professionals and consumers. View Source , resulting in four to five cycles for every eight hours of sleep. For the first one or two cycles, NREM slow-wave sleep is dominant, whereas REM sleep typically lasts no longer than 10 minutes. For later cycles, these roles will flip and REM will become more dominant, sometimes lasting 40 minutes or longer without interruption. NREM sleep will essentially cease during these later cycles.

Drinking alcohol before bed can increase the suppression of REM sleep during the first two cycles. Since alcohol is a sedative, sleep onset is often shorter for drinkers and some fall into deep sleep rather quickly. As the night progresses, this can create an imbalance between slow-wave sleep and REM sleep, resulting in less of the latter and more of the former. This imbalance decreases overall sleep quality, which can result in shorter sleep duration and more sleep disruptions.

Alcohol and Insomnia

Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, is marked by periods of difficulty falling or staying asleep. Insomnia occurs despite the opportunity and desire to sleep, and leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and other negative effects.

Since alcohol can reduce REM sleep and cause sleep disruptions, people who drink before bed often experience insomnia symptoms and feel excessively sleepy Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source the following day. This can lead them into a vicious cycle Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source that consists of self-medicating with alcohol in order to fall asleep, consuming caffeine and other stimulants during the day to stay awake, and then using alcohol as a sedative to offset the effects of these stimulants.

Binge-drinking – consuming an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time that results in a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or higher – can be particularly detrimental to sleep quality. In recent studies, people who took part in binge-drinking on a weekly basis were significantly more likely to have trouble falling and staying asleep. These findings were true for both men and women. Similar trends were observed in adolescents and young adults Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source , as well as middle-aged and older adults Trusted Source National Center for Biotechnology Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source .

Researchers have noted a link between long-term alcohol abuse and chronic sleep problems. People can develop a tolerance for alcohol rather quickly, leading them to drink more before bed in order to initiate sleep. Those who have been diagnosed with alcohol use disorders frequently report insomnia symptoms.

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Alcohol and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by abnormal breathing and temporary loss of breath during sleep. These lapses in breathing can in turn cause sleep disruptions and decrease sleep quality. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs due to physical blockages in the back of the throat, while central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs because the brain cannot properly signal the muscles that control breathing.

During apnea-related breathing episodes – which can occur throughout the night – the sleeper may make choking noises. People with sleep apnea are also prone to loud, disruptive snoring. Some studies suggest that alcohol contributes to sleep apnea because it causes the throat muscles to relax, which in turn creates more resistance during breathing. This can exacerbate OSA symptoms and lead to disruptive breathing episodes, as well as heavier snoring. Additionally, consuming just one serving of alcohol before bed can lead to symptoms of OSA and heavy snoring, even for people who have not been diagnosed with sleep apnea.

The relationship between sleep apnea and alcohol has been researched fairly extensively. The general consensus based on various studies is that consuming alcohol increases the risk of sleep apnea Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source by 25%.

Alcohol and Sleep FAQ

Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?

Alcohol may aid with sleep onset due to its sedative properties, allowing you to fall asleep more quickly. However, people who drink before bed often experience disruptions later in their sleep cycle as liver enzymes metabolize alcohol. This can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and other issues the following day. Drinking to fall asleep can build a tolerance, forcing you to consume more alcohol each successive night in order to experience the sedative effects.

What Is the Difference Between Moderate and Heavy Drinking?

Definitions vary by source, but the following measurements are generally considered to constitute a single serving of alcohol:

• 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol content
• 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol content
• 1 ounce of liquor or distilled spirits with 40% alcohol content

Moderate drinking is loosely defined as up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Heavy drinking means more than 15 drinks per week for men and more than eight drinks per week for women.

Will a Small Amount of Alcohol Affect My Sleep?

Drinking to excess will typically have a more negative impact on sleep than light or moderate alcohol consumption. However, since the effects of alcohol are different from person to person, even small amounts of alcohol can reduce sleep quality for some people.

One 2018 study compared sleep quality Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source among subjects who consumed various amounts of alcohol.

• Low amounts of alcohol: Having fewer than two servings of alcohol per day for men or one serving per day for women decreased sleep quality by 9.3%.
• Moderate amounts of alcohol: Having two servings of alcohol per day for men or one serving per day for women decreased sleep quality by 24%.
• High amounts of alcohol: Having more than two servings of alcohol per day for men or one serving per day for women decreased sleep quality by 39.2%.

When Should I Stop Drinking Prior To Bed To Minimize Sleep Disruption?

You can manage the negative effects of alcohol on sleep by giving your body ample time to metabolize alcohol before falling asleep. To reduce the risk of sleep disruptions, you should stop drinking alcohol at least four hours Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech Information The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information. View Source before bedtime.