Alcohol and Insomnia: Effects on Sleep and Health
It’s possible to become dependent on alcohol within weeks or sometimes even days of use. Alcohol is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the community. Alcohol also increases breathing-related sleep events such as snoring and oxygen desaturation, especially in those with pre-existing problems. Emerging data demonstrate that insomnia may co-exist with SSD and circadian abnormalities. Future studies should unravel these tentative associations in individuals who misuse alcohol.
Learn More About How Alcohol Impacts Sleep:
So, even if you nod off quickly after drinking and manage to sleep for eight hours (or more), losing REM sleep means you won’t wake up feeling fully recharged. When you consume alcohol before bedtime, REM sleep typically pays the price. Light sleep tends to be more prevalent in the first few hours after hitting the sheets. That’s followed by a deeper cycle of snoozing known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
Find Resources for Alcohol Treatment
If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol use and concerned about withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, professional help is available. The medical team at The Recovery Village Palmer Lake specializes in managing all aspects of alcohol withdrawal, including sleep disturbances, in a safe and supportive environment. At The Recovery Village Palmer Lake, we’ve helped countless individuals navigate the challenges of withdrawal insomnia and achieve lasting recovery. These sleep disturbances can be particularly frustrating because they occur when the body desperately needs rest to heal and recover from the effects of alcohol use. The lack of quality sleep can intensify other withdrawal symptoms and make the overall recovery process more challenging. When alcohol is in the system, it initially acts as a sedative, helping people fall asleep quickly.
Symptoms and Causes
Researchers discourage older adults — particularly men — from using alcohol as a sleep aid. During the final hours of sleep when alcohol is metabolized by the body, it can have a disruptive effect on sleep, causing frequent waking and fragmented sleep. Ultimately, alcohol can decrease the amount and quality of sleep you get. If you’re struggling to get enough quality rest, talk to a health care professional about ways to improve your sleep.
Subsequent phases of data collection have alternated between postal questionnaire alone and postal questionnaire accompanied by a clinical examination. There’s a complicated relationship https://ecosoberhouse.com/ among depression, alcohol, and sleep. People suffering from depression may already have disrupted circadian rhythms, and the presence of even moderate amounts of alcohol may push those rhythms further out of sync. The gut and its microbiome are often referred to as the body’s second brain, and operate under powerful circadian rhythm activity.
- Treating anxiety can help reduce insomnia and improve overall sleep quality.
- For example, people may experience steroid-induced insomnia, or antidepressants may worsen or induce sleep disorders.
- “Three or more drinks will cause the average person to fall asleep sooner than usual,” says Shawn R. Currie of the University of Calgary.
- With proper medical supervision and support, withdrawal can be managed safely and comfortably, setting the foundation for successful long-term recovery.
- Regular alcohol consumption, particularly in the evening or before bed, is a primary risk factor.
Through telemedicine, you can discuss your symptoms, receive a diagnosis, and explore treatment options without needing an in-person visit. As people age, their ability to metabolize alcohol decreases, leading to more pronounced effects on sleep. Older adults are more likely to alcohol insomnia experience disrupted sleep after consuming even small amounts of alcohol. Additionally, older individuals are more likely to have other health conditions that interact with alcohol, further complicating sleep patterns.
- Sleep apnea is a common disorder that causes breathing to repeatedly stop and restart during sleep, affecting the amount of oxygen your body gets.
- In another study, a higher prevalence rate of SDB was seen in treatment-seeking patients with AD (41%), as compared to control subjects (23%).
- For those seeking deeper solutions, consulting a healthcare provider or sleep specialist may uncover underlying issues exacerbated by alcohol’s disruptive influence.
Anxiety, Depression & Alcohol Use
Treating these conditions may be necessary as some individuals experience insomnia due to other health issues. A 2019 study showed that individuals who sleep for under 6 hours each night have a 20% higher chance of heart attack than individuals who sleep between 6 and 9 hours. Studies estimate that 36–91% of people experiencing alcohol dependence may have insomnia.
There is a growing body of literature demonstrating a bidirectional relationship of insomnia with alcohol consumption and alcohol misuse. Join our Sleep Care Community — a trusted hub of sleep health professionals, product specialists, and people just like you. Whether you need expert sleep advice for your insomnia or you’re searching for the perfect mattress, we’ve got you covered. If you’re turning to alcohol to help you sleep, you may be making the quality of your sleep worse. So, does alcohol help you sleep or is it actually interfering with your quality of rest?
Even moderate alcohol use can disrupt REM sleep, worsen insomnia, and reduce overall sleep quality, doctors say.
It can have a relaxing effect, but research shows that too much alcohol can lead to a lack of sleep or insomnia. Alcohol can increase the quantity of non-REM sleep during the first half of the night, but it decreases REM sleep in the second half. Many of us find ourselves tossing and turning at night, trying to get that elusive 7 to 8 hours of sleep experts say we need but never finding it. Dr. Seema Khosla is the medical director of the North Dakota Center for Sleep and a medical advisor for MedBridge Healthcare. She is also a fellow of the College of Chest Physicians, as well as the what is alcoholism American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Dr. Khosla runs a telemedicine outreach program that serves rural areas in North Dakota and has done so for the past decade.