How alcohol affects sleep

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You'll sleep soundly, but you won't feel rested in the morning.

According to the American National Sleep Foundation, one in five American adults sometimes drink at night to help them fall asleep. There are no statistics for Ukraine, but it can be assumed that it is at least close to foreign statistics.

But this, admittedly, effective way to fall into the kingdom of Morpheus has at least one side effect.

Why do you want to sleep after drinking alcohol

First of all, alcohol affects the brain and disrupts the normal production of chemicals on which many processes in the body depend.

Yes, it is known that a second glass increases the production of adenosine. This substance tells the brain that the body's cells are tired, lack energy and it's time to rest. The more adenosine, the stronger the inclination to sleep.

But falling asleep in this case does not mean getting enough sleep.

How alcohol affects sleep

If the level of adenosine increases, then melatonin, the hormone responsible for the quality of sleep, regulates the change of its phases and the circadian rhythms of the body as a whole, on the contrary, becomes less. And it is significant. 50 grams of vodka (200 g of weak wine or 400 ml of beer) is enough for the level of melatonin to decrease by almost 20%.

For the body, this means the following. The biological clock, which is directly dependent on melatonin, begins to malfunction. The architecture of sleep, that is, the alternation of its main phases, is disturbed.

Normally, sleep consists of two phases.

• The phase of slow sleep.It occurs immediately after falling asleep and lasts about 90 minutes. Slow sleep is similar to anesthesia: the body is as relaxed as possible, the brain is less active. No dreams, no movements, complete relaxation necessary for physical recovery.
• Rapid sleep phase. Follows slow sleep and lasts 5-20 minutes. During this period, the brain is actively working, we have dreams. If slow sleep is more necessary for physical recovery of the body, then fast sleep helps the nervous system: relieves mental tension and fatigue, refreshes memory, improves concentration.

They follow each other, two phases – one cycle of sleep. On average, we go through five cycles per night. This is enough to feel refreshed and rested in the morning.

But alcoholic sleep is different from normal sleep. After drinking, due to a failure in the production of melatonin, we fall into a deep, slow, dreamless sleep. It lasts longer than usual. But the REM sleep phase, on the contrary, shortens or disappears altogether.

As a result, when we wake up after drinking, we feel broken. Reactions are inhibited, it is difficult to concentrate on something, memory fails, nerves are not to hell. The reasons are clear: the nervous system simply did not have time to recover.

These are far from all sleep disorders that alcohol leads to. Here are a few more.

• Morning insomnia. You wake up at or before dawn and can't get back to sleep, even though you obviously didn't get enough sleep. This is all related to the same fallen level of melatonin.
• Night apnea. This is called stopping breathing in sleep. It most often occurs during the phase of slow-wave sleep, when the muscles relax. And slow sleep seasoned with alcohol is especially deep.
• Frequent awakenings in the second half of the night. By this time, the body begins to actively get rid of processed alcohol through the kidneys and bladder.

How to drink to sleep

The best way to sleep is still do not drink alcohol at night. If for some reason you cannot give up alcohol, follow the safety rules.

1. Do not drink more than the norm

Doctors define the norm quite clearly: no more than one drink per day for women and men over the age of 65 and no more than two drinks for men younger.

“One drink” in this case is:

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2. Drink slowly

This is necessary so that the liver has time to neutralize and remove alcohol before it seriously affects the biochemical processes in the body.

3. Have a snack

Food in the stomach slows down the absorption of alcohol and thus facilitates the work of the liver.

4. Drink no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime

During this time, the melatonin level will return to normal, which means that sleep will be healthy.

5. Do not mix alcohol with sleeping pills

Alcohol depresses breathing, as do most sleeping pills. Such a combination is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to respiratory arrest.