Drinking alcohol in the evening often means that you will go to sleep quickly. This is because once the initial stimulation of alcohol wears off, it acts as a depressant, helping us to fall asleep.
However, when this happens we miss the first part of the sleep cycle, known as REM sleep, which is the type of sleep in which we have vivid dreams. After REM sleep, our body settles into a deeper sleep and this helps the body to repair itself. It might seem, given this, that getting into bed on a comfortable mattress and falling straight into a deep sleep is a good thing.
The problem is that the effects of alcohol start to wear off after a few hours of deep sleep and we then move into REM sleep. Each cycle of REM and deep (or NREM) sleep lasts around ninety minutes and when the cycle alters, our whole night’s sleep is affected. Therefore, even though we may sleep better in the first part of the night, we will sleep poorly for the remainder of the night and wake up feeling exhausted.
Alcohol is also a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration, as excess fluid is filtered from the body along with the alcohol. This can mean numerous trips to the toilet in the middle of the night, something that is guaranteed to interrupt sleep.
Heartburn from a heavy night of drinking can also seriously disturb sleep, made worse if you have stopped for a curry on the way home from the pub. Another effect is heavy snoring, caused by the relaxed muscles in the body preventing air from flowing freely through the nose and mouth. Heavy drinking can also bring about vomiting, as alcohol is an irritant to the stomach lining. This can sometimes be a symptom of alcohol poisoning, which can have extremely serious consequences.
Longer-term drinking also contributes to many serious health disorders. There is an increased chance of type II diabetes or pancreatic disease and there are links between alcohol consumption and certain types of cancer. It is estimated that there are more than 33,000 deaths per year in the UK from liver disease caused by alcohol.
In terms of mental health, alcohol does affect the brain’s chemistry and is linked to depression and anxiety. Heavy drinking can cause psychosis, a type of mental illness that involves hallucinations or paranoid feelings of persecution.
Alcohol also affects our appearance, at times quite dramatically. An expanding waistline is often accompanied by a tired, pale and dehydrated face the morning after. Longer-term drinking causes the skin to become redder, with tell-tale signs of rosacea and the face can appear bloated.
It is clear that not only does booze trash your sleep, it can also help to trash your life. Moderation is still the key to alcohol consumption. Even though many people will continue to indulge in a nightcap to help them sleep, this may not good for either getting a good night’s sleep or their long-term health prospects.
This guest post has been written by Rob who currently writes on behalf of Archer Sleep Centre. Rob focuses his writing towards how a good quality bed can improve your life in some way or form.
