Why You Can’t Sleep After Drinking Alcohol: Alcohol and Sleep

drunk sleep

A parasomnia is an unusual behavior that happens while you’re asleep or just waking up. There are four stages of sleep and three of those are considered “non-REM” or NREM stages, referred to as N1-N3. Rapid eye movement or REM, is the fourth stage, and arguably the most well-known. Each phase takes approximately 90 to 120 minutes to complete, which is why it is recommended to get 7 to 8 hours a night, which allows the body to cycle through every phase to completion, twice.

Sprawled across rumpled sheets, your intoxicated slumber could be a dangerous dance with destiny, fraught with risks that extend far beyond tomorrow’s hangover. The allure of “sleeping it off” after a night of heavy drinking is a common misconception that can lead to severe consequences. While many believe that a good night’s rest is the cure-all for excessive alcohol consumption, the reality is far more complex How Long Does A Shroom High Last How Long Do Shrooms Last Mushrooms for Modern Life and potentially hazardous.

Alcohol and toilet trips

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. Your daily habits and environment can significantly impact the quality of your sleep.

Why You Keep Waking Up Drenched—and How to Fix It

That’s why, after a drink or two, you begin to feel relaxed, inhibitions are lowered, and you may start to feel tired. Once it becomes acetic acid, it’s ready to break down into carbon dioxide and water. This taxing process breaks down about 90 percent of the alcohol you consumed to clear it out of your system (2, 3). Safe transportation options for intoxicated individuals are essential to prevent the temptation of driving under the influence. Rideshare services, taxis, public transportation, or designated drivers are all preferable alternatives to getting behind the wheel after drinking. Planning these options in advance can make it easier to make responsible choices when judgment is impaired.

Finally, going to bed with alcohol in your system increases your chances of having vivid dreams or nightmares, or sleepwalking and other parasomnias. Alcohol has been linked to reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Research shows that alcohol actually has a disruptive effect on your sleep the rest of the night and messes with sleep quality and quantity.

Does alcohol cause insomnia or poor sleep?

drunk sleep

Heavy drinking can make the sleep- and circadian rhythm-disrupting effects of alcohol worse. But even a regular, moderate routine of two to three drinks a day is enough to create sleep and performance problems for many people. If you’re having confusional arousals or sleep drunkenness, you probably won’t know unless someone witnesses them.

  1. Now that that’s settled, if you’re still looking for healthy ways to level up your sleep, try Erin Macdonald’s top tips below.
  2. Sleep drunkenness may also result from getting either too little or too much sleep.
  3. Those effects of alcohol on the biological clock appear to persist even without additional drinking, according to research.
  4. Even though you may not physically wake, or even remember waking up in the morning, alcohol, like other drugs, has been shown to fragment the stages of sleep (7).
  5. The gut and its microbiome are often referred to as the body’s second brain, and operate under powerful circadian rhythm activity.

Healthy Bedtime Snacks To Eat Before Sleep

The occasional bad night’s sleep may be unpleasant, but is unlikely to have a lasting effect. However, studies have shown that a continuous lack of REM sleep can negatively affect memory and learning1, may impact our emotional abilities2 and increase the risk of migraine3. Poor sleep has also been linked to an increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, hypertension, obesity, heart attack and stroke4. Finally, regular drinking has been linked to insomnia and other sleep disorders, especially later in life. For many people who drink moderately, falling asleep more quickly may seem like an advantage of a nightly glass of wine.

Research shows that regular alcohol intake can reduce sleep quality over time, potentially causing issues such as insomnia. The researchers reported that less than one percent of the cases revealed in the study had no known contributor. Alcohol also affects people with central sleep apnea (CSA), which occurs when the brain periodically stops sending certain signals involved in breathing. Alcohol interferes with the brain’s ability to receive chemical messages involved in breathing, which decreases the body’s respiratory drive and increases the likelihood of pauses in breathing. To confirm that you’re having confusional arousals, the healthcare provider will get a complete medical history from you.

You’re sound asleep when your alarm goes off or your partner tries to wake you. You open your eyes and get out of bed, but you’re not fully awake. You wander around, say strange things or give blunt answers when someone talks to you. By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health.

It’s also the stage where you might experience a muscle twitch or a brief feeling of falling. These are called hypnic jerks and sleep starts and are totally normal as your body and mind relax into a sleep state. Creating a plan before drinking to ensure safety is perhaps the most effective way to avoid the dangers of sleeping while drunk.

The effects on overall sleep patterns and circadian rhythm can be long-lasting and detrimental to overall health. Alcohol disrupts the natural sleep-wake cycle, interfering with the body’s ability to regulate important processes such as hormone production, metabolism, and immune function. Over time, this disruption can contribute to a range of health problems, including increased susceptibility to infections, weight gain, and mood disorders.