Alcohol's Effects on Sleep Quality
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in our society today. Understanding alcohol's impact on the body is important, as it allows us to make real decisions about how and when we intake it. This is a topic that I think relates with how alcohol is used in our culture today. I have worked with many people in my years as a trainer/coach who have used alcohol as a way to “promote falling asleep, or winding down after a long/stressful day.”
This time of year with the holidays, and celebrations, can also be a common time for alcohol to make a more regular appearance than usual. No matter what substance we are discussing, and how to manage it, I believe that knowledge is what allows us to make the decisions that best serve our Wellness. So, is there truth to this use of alcohol?
I have cited a few studies below that help us gain a better understanding of how alcohol impacts sleep cycles. Neither study below states that one should or should not use alcohol as a sleep enhancer, but rather provides real data on the impacts it has on our system.
In the first study cited below, a group of women had their sleep patterns studied regularly after ingesting alcohol, or a placebo, prior to bed. The study was not able to provide many large conclusions. However, one result found was a reduction in time spent in REM sleep in individuals who had an alcoholic beverage before bed.
This is important because during REM sleep, the brain is working hard to store and organize information from our day. This cycle of our nightly sleep plays a critical role in supporting neuroplasticity and mood regulation. With this being said, one may experience a negative impact in these areas if alcohol is consumed regularly as a “falling asleep aid.”
The second study cited above, discusses the neuroinflammatory markers found in rats who were deprived of REM sleep for 72 hours. This is an animal trial, as it is not ethical to force a human to be sleep deprived for 72 hours. That being said, in this study there were conclusive results of an increase in neuroinflammatory markers found in rats following a 72 hour span of no REM sleep.
The reason I chose these two studies is not because science is perfect. I chose them, because they point in a direction that science will continue to expand upon. Alcohol has long been used over history as a sleep aid, however as science continues to shed light on its true affects, this may actually not be the case.
Just like any other area of nutrient consumption, I will always promote listening to your body/system. Science can help inform us, and direct our decision making, but it is important that you as an individual are able to identify how the use of alcohol, or lack thereof, affects your sleep. If you are someone who utilizes alcohol to wind down, then I would challenge you to simple experiment. If you choose to remove it for a short time period, be diligent about taking notes on the changes you notice in falling asleep, as well as how rested you feel when you wake up. Another part of this experiment could include taking note of if you are able to wind down using other techniques while also feeling more rested due to more complete sleep cycles.
Undertaking this type of self exploration is CRITICAL to continuing to improve your Wellness routines throughout life. As you go through the rest of the holiday season, and the end of the year, challenge yourself to question whether or not you are truly promoting quality sleep and recovery, if alcohol is regularly involved.
Sources:
Van Reen E, Jenni OG, Carskadon MA. Effects of alcohol on sleep and the sleep electroencephalogram in healthy young women. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2006 Jun;30(6):974-81. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00111.x. PMID: 16737455.
Suresh K, Shankar V, Cd D. Impact of REM sleep deprivation and sleep recovery on circulatory neuroinflammatory markers. Sleep Sci. 2021 Jan-Mar;14(1):64-68. doi: 10.5935/1984-0063.20190157. PMID: 34104339; PMCID: PMC8157773.
