Have you ever come home from a long day of work and wanted nothing more than to have a stiff drink and go to bed? Or maybe you’ve been run ragged by the kids all day, and they’re finally asleep and all you can think of the bottle of wine you’ve got waiting to relax you before you tumble into bed yourself. There’s even a term for the drink you have at the end of the day – a nightcap – so surely it’s both effective and completely normal, right? Unfortunately, alcohol not only doesn’t help you fall asleep, it can do the opposite and keep you awake.
Alcohol might help you fall asleep faster and keep you in a deep sleep initially, but it interferes with Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, sleep. REM sleep usually happens 90 minutes after you fall asleep, and it’s the period when you have dreams. It’s also thought to be when restorative sleep happens, meaning that if it’s interrupted you’re likely going to feel drowsy and unable to concentrate the following day. Older people, in general, spend less time in REM sleep already, so it’s particularly important for them not to drink or do anything else to interrupt this stage.
Alcohol can also interfere with your breathing and relax the muscles of the throat, which might lead to sleep apnea, a disorder where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Untreated sleep apnea can cause hypertension, stroke, or heart failure.
If you have to rely on alcohol to fall asleep, consider that you might have an underlying problem or sleep disorder. It’s normal to have a single drink to wind down, but if you find yourself having two or more to relax every night, you might be at risk for developing a dependence. For women, low-risk drinking is defined as no more than three drinks in any one day and no more than seven drinks per week. For men, it is defined as no more than four drinks on any one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.
Here are some alternative, more healthy ways to help yourself get quality sleep:
- Get exercise during the day, but not within a few hours of going to bed.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine in addition to alcohol.
- Make the bedroom for sleeping and sex only. Don’t use it for watching television or other activities.
- Turn off your electronic devices a half hour before you intend to go to sleep.
- Keep your bedroom cool. Being too hot can interfere with sleep.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- If you need to relax, consider reading, listening to mellow music, or taking a bath before bedtime.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
