Many people think that drinking alcohol can help them sleep and sleep better. In fact, this does not apply to everyone. Once the sedative effect of alcohol wears off, it will change the normal sleep cycle. Samantha Briscoe, a clinical psychologist at the London Sleep Center, said: "Alcohol pushes us into deep sleep faster and suppresses the amount of REM sleep. This imbalance can lead to a decrease in overall sleep quality."
In addition, alcohol is a diuretic, which causes the body to lose excess water, leaving you dehydrated. Therefore, people who drink to sleep usually wake up in the middle of the night, either because they are thirsty and want to drink water, or because they need to go to the toilet. Research has found that about 36-72% of alcoholics suffer from insomnia.
If you drink a lot of alcohol regularly, alcohol will start to change our sleep patterns. Not only will it not help you sleep, but it will aggravate your insomnia. What's more, alcohol increases the risk of sleep apnea by 25% and worsens the symptoms of sleep apnea because alcohol's sedative effect causes the muscles in the airways to relax and collapse, increasing the risk of snoring and sleep apnea. This is why I often ask my patients that if they have a social event and need to drink a lot of alcohol, they must wear a sleep apnea to sleep that day.
Don’t fall into the trap of drinking to fall asleep. After the alcohol is metabolized, you will wake up, and you may not be able to get back to sleep. When you have a lot of entertainment, remember to eat something to fill your stomach first, drink a sip of wine, and then drink a sip of water. Give your body more time to metabolize the alcohol before falling asleep. Don’t fall asleep immediately as soon as you get home!
Is there any trick that can reduce the effects of alcohol while drinking?
The answer is yes! ! !
After drinking alcohol, once it enters the bloodstream, it is difficult to reverse the effects on the body and sleep patterns, but there are ways to slow down the effects! Eating before, during, and after drinking can help slow the body's absorption of alcohol. Try not to mix alcohol with alcohol or add caffeinated sugary drinks to alcohol. Caffeine and sugar are both stimulants, and mixing alcohol with caffeine will definitely make you sober that you doubt your life.
If you drink at night, drink the last drink as long as possible before going to bed to allow the alcohol to wear off rather than falling asleep immediately. One night to drink, two nights off. In order to reduce the long-term impact of alcohol on sleep, we should limit the amount of alcohol intake. For example, if you drink it today, don’t drink it for the next two days. You can sleep better at least two out of three nights and let your liver have a good rest!
Here’s to better sleep
We all know that drinking alcohol can affect sleep. In addition to paying attention to alcohol intake, making some simple changes in your daily life to help you sleep better is definitely something worth investing in.
First, and most importantly, get up and go to bed at the same time as possible every day. To establish regular sleep habits, we can try to develop a relaxing bedtime routine: set a reminder for bedtime every night, and do some relaxing activities (such as stretching, reading, breathing meditation, listening to calm music, writing a gratitude journal) 30-60 minutes before going to bed to help us relax before going to bed. The more relaxed we are, the easier it is to fall asleep.
Secondly, take a quick look around your bedroom to make sure it is clean, dark, quiet and cool. The quieter the sleeping environment, the better. People who are light sleepers can try better sleep earplugs to isolate noise.
Finally, a bed that suits you is worth investing in! An uncomfortable bed can cause restless sleep and even make you feel pain. As you age and your sleeping posture habits change, spending money on a new, comfortable mattress can also improve your sleep quality!
