Consuming alcohol close to bedtime has the potential to disrupt sleep
Studies indicate that consuming even one or two alcoholic beverages in the evening is linked to a decrease in sleep quality. While alcohol might assist some individuals in falling asleep more quickly, it can disrupt sleep patterns throughout the night.
“So you're not getting the restorative sleep you would get without alcohol,” Aaron White, the senior scientific adviser to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism told The Washington Post.
Mr White added, "Also, once the alcohol wears off, there can be a rebound effect, causing some people to wake up early and have trouble falling back asleep."
A review of research conducted in 2022, focusing on a month-long period of alcohol abstinence, revealed that participants often reported improvements in their sleep. In a study involving over 4,000 participants from a Dry January challenge in the United Kingdom, 56 per cent stated that they experienced better sleep without alcohol.
When alcohol, characterized as a depressant, enters the stomach and small intestine, it gets absorbed into the bloodstream and transported to the liver. In the liver, enzymes metabolize the alcohol.
However, this process takes time, and during this period, the surplus alcohol continues to circulate through the body. This repetitive circulation acts as a distraction to the brain, making it challenging to progress smoothly through the various stages of sleep, as explained by Abhinav Singh, a sleep medicine and internal medicine physician and director of the Indiana Sleep Center.
Mr Singh compared the sleep cycle with a washing machine. He said a washing machine trying to complete a cycle while the child kept opening and closing the door. "It will complete its process, but it's going to keep stopping and starting,” he said.
The duration required for the body to metabolize alcohol sufficiently to mitigate potential sleep disturbances is influenced by factors like the quantity and timing of consumption. However, the specific timeframe remains unclear, as it can differ for each individual and situation. Nevertheless, experts generally agree that consuming alcohol close to bedtime has the potential to disrupt sleep.
“If you have a glass of champagne with brunch in the morning, it's not going to affect your sleep. But if you have half a bottle of wine with dinner at night, it will have an effect,” said Jennifer Martin, a clinical psychologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Ms Martin said she gave up alcohol for a short period several years ago and noticed “just giving up that one glass of wine in the evening, I slept so much better.”
Quitting alcohol can enhance the quality of sleep. However, individuals who regularly consume alcohol may consider gradually reducing their intake, as abrupt cessation can lead to alcohol withdrawal, potentially causing insomnia or other sleep-related issues.