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Why Does Alcohol Mess With My Sleep?
January: the month of one New Year’s reception after another. A glass of wine here, a nice fresh pint there. Was your diary packed too? If so, you might have noticed you weren’t sleeping as well. But why does alcohol make you sleep badly? “It makes me fall asleep nice and fast”, some people say. But is that really the case? Time to find out!
We’ve all wondered: drinking a “nightcap” before bed, can it hurt?
Sensationally, it will help you fall asleep faster and it will also ensure that you don’t lie around worrying at night. Simply because consuming alcohol makes your thoughts fade away and your muscles relax.
Does this make alcohol the solution for people who have sleep problems? Unfortunately, it is not all as simple as it seems. You do indeed fall asleep more easily, but the sleep is less deep and restless. Alcohol delays the onset of the dream phase, also known as REM sleep. This is precisely the phase where you process all the impressions and emotions of the day. Your glass of wine or bottle of beer suppresses this process and thus affects your mental recovery.
You will also notice that you wake up earlier when you have drunk alcohol. Not to mention the nightly visits to the toilet.
It can also affect physical recovery. People who drink alcohol regularly are therefore at greater risk of sleep problems, such as sleepwalking and sleep apnoea. There is also an increased risk of having intense dreams or nightmares.
We are certainly not asking you to ban all alcohol. If you still want to enjoy that nice glass of wine, it is best to do so early in the evening. Try not to consume any more alcohol 2 hours before you go to sleep. That way you will have a wonderful sleep and wake up recharged in the morning!