Although most people think alcohol can help them fall asleep, it actually has the opposite effect. Over time, alcohol consumption can lead to chronic sleep problems that make it nearly impossible to get the rest your body needs.
How Does Alcohol Affect Sleep?
There are several ways in which drinking alcohol can have a negative impact on your rest — and the effects multiply as alcohol consumption increases.
1. Alcohol Acts as a Sedative
When you drink alcohol, it acts as a sedative that relaxes the muscles and slows down bodily functions. Unfortunately, this effect is only temporary. After a few hours of being sedated, your body will start to wake up again as its systems try to return to normal.
If you are using alcohol in combination with other drugs, such as opioid painkillers, the sedative effects will be increased. This will lead to further sleep disruption and the risk of a potentially fatal overdose.
2. Alcohol Disrupts the Body’s Sleep-Wake Cycle
Alcohol disrupts your natural circadian rhythm. This is the body’s internal clock that helps regulate your temperature, hormones, and other physiological processes essential for good sleep. When you drink too close to bedtime or consume too much alcohol, your body struggles to make sense of when you should be sleeping and when you should be awake.
Other things that can disrupt your circadian rhythm and increase sleep difficulties include:
- Exposure to artificial light during nighttime hours
- Stress and anxiety
- Working a second or third shift job
- Consuming caffeine late in the day
3. Alcohol Disrupts the Production of Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate cycles. When melatonin levels are too low, it becomes difficult to drift off at night. Alcohol disrupts the production of this important hormone, making it harder for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Although melatonin supplements are widely available, they can’t counteract the effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Melatonin supplements can also have side effects such as irritability, headaches, dizziness, and increased anxiety. Long-term use of supplemental melatonin may even further reduce the body’s natural production of the hormone.
4. Alcohol Reduces REM Sleep
Alcohol has an adverse effect on Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. It depresses the central nervous system, making it difficult for you to get into REM sleep—the deepest stage when dreaming occurs.
REM sleep is important for learning, memory consolidation, and restoring energy levels. Most adults require at least 20-25% of their sleep time to be in the REM cycle.
5. Alcohol Can Lead to Disrupted Breathing and Snoring
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to disrupted breathing patterns while sleeping—including snoring—which can further disturb your night’s rest. Snoring can cause decreased oxygen levels in the body, which can lead to heart and lung problems. It can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, or even heart failure if it is left untreated.
Mouth guards and nose strips can sometimes help reduce snoring related to physical issues in the anatomy of a person’s mouth and nostrils. However, these products were not designed to treat snoring related to alcohol consumption.
6. Alcohol Can Worsen Cases of Sleep Apnea
Alcohol can worsen existing cases of sleep apnea, a condition that causes breathing to pause or become shallow during sleep. It also increases the likelihood of developing the condition in individuals at risk of developing it due to other factors such as being overweight or having enlarged tonsils.
The combination of alcohol and sleep apnea can have a dangerous effect on your body, as it leaves you vulnerable to heart and lung problems. If left untreated, sleep apnea can also cause fatigue during the day due to a lack of restful sleep.
How Can You Improve Your Sleep Quality?
When you quit drinking, your sleep will improve. Not only will you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, but you’re also more likely to experience deeper sleep cycles that allow for more restful sleep.
If you’re struggling to regulate your alcohol consumption, you may benefit from addiction treatment. At St. Joseph Institute for Addiction, we provide clients with the tools and resources needed to break free from the cycle of alcohol abuse and build a healthier lifestyle. As part of our Pennsylvania residential addiction treatment program, we teach clients how to manage triggers that lead to drinking, develop new coping mechanisms for stress or anxiety, and gain insight into their own behavior so they can reach their personal goals for the future. Contact us today to learn more.
Looking for addiction treatment near Altoona, PA? To learn more about SJI Pennsylvania addiction rehab, and our programs, please contact us at (814) 228-8881.
