{"id":5939,"date":"2023-09-17T00:07:52","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T00:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=5939"},"modified":"2023-09-17T00:07:53","modified_gmt":"2023-09-17T00:07:53","slug":"how-much-alcohol-does-it-take-to-disrupt-your-sleep-unpacking-the-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/?p=5939","title":{"rendered":"How Much Alcohol Does It Take To Disrupt Your Sleep? Unpacking The Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20370%20247'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"zeen-lazy-load-base zeen-lazy-load wp-image-5940\"\/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5940\" srcset=\"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125.png 900w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125-770x428.png 770w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125-293x163.png 293w, https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/image-125-390x217.png 390w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Maax, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space-collapse: collapse;\">Waking up after a bout of heavy drinking is far from a pleasant experience. But for many people, having one or two drinks before bed doesn&#8217;t necessarily lead to the same headaches, grogginess, or fatigue as a full-on night out. This begs the question: how much alcohol does it actually take to disrupt sleep? This is an area of ongoing research, but here&#8217;s what we know so far.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why does alcohol harm sleep in the first place?<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/wc\/emma-loewe\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/wc\/emma-loewe\"><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although booze might help you fall asleep faster in some cases, it seems to have a net negative effect on sleep quality. Due to how it affects the neurotransmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, alcohol&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/drinking-alcohol-and-rem-sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">disrupts our natural sleep architecture<\/a>\u2014particularly during the second half of the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;As alcohol metabolizes through your body, it can suppress&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/what-is-rem-sleep-and-how-can-i-get-more-of-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">REM sleep<\/a>, rapid-eye-movement sleep, which is the part of sleep where dreams mostly occur,&#8221;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendytroxel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wendy M. Troxel, Ph.D.<\/a>, a clinical psychologist and certified behavioral sleep medicine specialist,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/how-dry-january-affects-sleep-quality-pros-and-cons\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously explained to mindbodygreen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/what-is-rem-sleep-and-how-can-i-get-more-of-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">REM sleep<\/a>\u2014which usually starts 90 to 120 minutes after falling asleep\u2014we&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27174984\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">form and consolidate memories<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/this-is-how-much-alcohol-it-takes-to-impact-your-sleep#citations\">1<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ptj\/article\/89\/4\/370\/2737609\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sharpen motor skills<\/a>, and process emotions. We spend more time in REM sleep during the second half of the night, when the effects of pre-bed alcohol seem to be at their strongest. By suppressing this all-important stage, alcohol can spur fatigue, brain fog, and emotional dysregulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To add insult to injury, alcohol is also a diuretic, so it can cause us to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom\u2014further compromising&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/4-stages-of-sleep-and-how-to-wake-up-during-right-one\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deeper sleep stages<\/a>&nbsp;like REM. It may also contribute to nagging heartburn in some people, or be flavored with sugars that disrupt rest too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearly, alcohol doesn&#8217;t do us many favors in the sleep department\u2014but does one glass of wine before bed really make much of a difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-W3PW4Pl6fw\">How much is too much?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The topic of alcohol and sleep is of special interest to researchers lately, with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/?term=%28alcohol%29+AND+%28sleep%29&amp;filter=years.2023-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nearly 600 studies<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/this-is-how-much-alcohol-it-takes-to-impact-your-sleep#citations\">2<\/a>&nbsp;published on it so far this year. However, the vast majority of this research is on people who are heavy drinkers or have alcohol use disorder. There&#8217;s no doubt that excessive alcohol use (which the CDC defines as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/chronicdisease\/resources\/publications\/factsheets\/alcohol.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4+ drinks for women and 5+ drinks for men<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/this-is-how-much-alcohol-it-takes-to-impact-your-sleep#citations\">3<\/a>) is associated with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37193395\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">low sleep quality<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/this-is-how-much-alcohol-it-takes-to-impact-your-sleep#citations\">4<\/a>, and the impact seems to be dose-dependent.&nbsp;That is, the more you drink before bed, the worse your sleep will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, less research has focused on how low to moderate drinking\u20141-2 drinks per night, for example\u2014impacts sleep. We still have more to learn on this topic, but it does seem that&nbsp;<em>any<\/em>&nbsp;amount of alcohol can throw off sleep architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a review study in&nbsp;<em>Alcoholism: Clinical &amp; Experimental Research,&nbsp;<\/em>alcohol (at all doses) delays the first REM sleep period and reduces total night REM sleep. &#8220;One consequence of a delayed onset of the first REM sleep would be less restful sleep,&#8221; corresponding author Irshaad Ebrahim, MD,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurekalert.org\/news-releases\/909212#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for whether certain types of alcohols are less disruptive to sleep, or if repeated light drinking&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5821259\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">impacts sleep quality over time<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/this-is-how-much-alcohol-it-takes-to-impact-your-sleep#citations\">5<\/a>, we don&#8217;t have any good answers and it likely depends on the person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While everyone metabolizes alcohol a bit differently, the best way to ensure that booze doesn&#8217;t harm your sleep is to avoid it entirely or drink it earlier in the day\u2014at least 4-6 hours before bedtime. Switching over to low- or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/best-nonalcoholic-drinks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">no-ABV options<\/a>&nbsp;closer to bedtime may also help keep REM sleep intact (just watch out for added sugars).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you do want to enjoy&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/healthiest-alcohol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a glass of wine or a bit of mezcal before bed<\/a>, no shame. Just consider pairing it with habits that will help you rest up: Go to sleep at your usual bedtime, avoid late-night scrolling on your devices, and follow a relaxing sleep routine that involves a bath, a meditation session, or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/supplements-for-sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a sleep supplement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mbg-WM3aF9CFKP\">The takeaway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Heavy drinking is associated with poor sleep quality, though we know less about how light drinking impacts sleep. All signs point to a disruption in REM sleep, though, even after a glass or two. With this in mind, on nights when you really need to catch up on zzz&#8217;s, try swapping out your nightcap for\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindbodygreen.com\/articles\/sleep-tea\" target=\"_blank\">a calming sleep tea<\/a>\u00a0instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/CtPS3KsvU8a\/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng%3D%3D\"><em>Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Waking up after a bout of heavy drinking is far from a pleasant experience. But for many people, having one or two drinks before bed doesn&#8217;t necessarily lead to the same headaches, grogginess, or fatigue as a full-on night out. This begs the question: how much alcohol does it actually take to disrupt sleep? This is an area of ongoing research, but here&#8217;s what we know so far. Why does alcohol harm sleep in the first place? Although booze might [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5939"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5941,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5939\/revisions\/5941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthnews.zone\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}