The Commonly Used Sleep Aid That Backfires

Sleep evades everyone from time to time, and both short-term and long-term insomnia¹ — or difficulties falling or remaining asleep² — is fairly common. People try many remedies to improve their sleep³, from counting sheep⁴ and using sleep apps⁵ to dabbing essential oils⁶ on their pillow, cleaning their bedroom⁷ and cutting down on caffeine⁸. Some seek a doctor's guidance, and others try self-medicating, sometimes using melatonin⁹, recreational weed¹⁰ or alcohol as a sleep aid¹¹.

This article considers how effective alcohol is in aiding sleep. While most people know that alcohol can be harmful to overall health¹², many readers may be surprised to learn that it's more harmful than good when it comes to getting a good night's rest.

Alcohol and Sleep

Studies indicate that between 20% and 30% of insomnia sufferers turn to alcohol¹³ in an attempt to get better sleep. However, while many people experience sedative effects of alcohol¹⁴ and fall asleep quickly, for others, the stimulatory impacts last longer, keeping them awake. Moreover, regardless of how long it takes someone to drift off, alcohol greatly impacts the quality of sleep.

Alcohol disrupts the body's natural clock, known as the sleep-wake circadian rhythm¹⁵, which can cause sleep to end sooner than expected. Some sources report that alcohol also interferes with melatonin release¹⁶, a hormone vital for sleep. It can also disturb brain activity, making sleep less restorative. As the effects of alcohol wear off during the night, many people experience restlessness, with periods of interrupted sleep. Additionally, because alcohol is a diuretic¹⁷, people may wake more frequently to use the bathroom¹⁸ after a heavy night of drinking.

Some studies suggest that alcohol prevents people from getting enough REM sleep¹⁹, often referred to as deep sleep. Crucially, REM sleep²⁰ is the most restorative stage of sleep²¹. Alcohol use or withdrawal can lead to vivid dreams²² or nightmares, which can further disturb people while sleeping. Indeed, consuming even just a few alcoholic beverages can completely disrupt sleep architecture²³ for the night.

Alcohol and Sleep Disorders

Because alcohol acts as a muscle relaxant²⁴, it can loosen the throat muscles. This makes it harder for air to reach the lungs and increases the likelihood of snoring. It can also result in slower or shallower breathing²⁵. Imbibing alcohol can worsen sleep disorders²⁶. Worryingly, it can lengthen the time people restart breathing while asleep.

Studies also indicate a causation factor between drinking and disordered sleep²⁷, suggesting that alcohol consumption can actually lead to the development of harmful sleep disorders. When untreated, such sleep disorders can have detrimental impacts²⁸ on both physical and mental health, affect mood and concentration and even shorten life²⁹.

Alcohol and Health

Poor sleep is just one, albeit harmful, side effect of alcohol consumption. Drinking, especially frequently or heavily, has many potential negative impacts on health, including:

• Weakened immune system³⁰
• Increased risk of certain cancers³¹
• Organ damage³²
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Decreased fertility³³
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Depression and anxiety³⁴

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol dependency, make an appointment with a health care professional. If you experience frequent bouts of insomnia, you should also seek medical guidance. And, if you're using alcohol as a way to sleep, whether infrequently or often, it's time to find more effective methods of getting a good night's rest.

References

1. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute – What Is Insomnia?
2. Cleveland Clinic - Insomnia
3. SoClean – Lesser-Known Habits to Improve Your Sleep – At Any Age
4. Reader's Digest – Here's Why People Started Counting Sheep to Fall Asleep
5. SoClean – Top Sleep Apps for Improving Your Zzzs
6. Verywell Health – Essential Oils That Can Help You Sleep Better
7. SoClean – How Clean Air Promotes Good Sleep
8. National Library of Medicine – Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed
9. SoClean – Is Taking Melatonin Every Night Good or Bad for You?
10. Pew Research Center – Most Americans now live in a legal marijuana state – and most have at least one dispensary in their county
11. World Health Organization – Alcohol
12. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism – Alcohol's Effects on Health
13. National Library of Medicine – Insomnia as a path to alcoholism: tolerance development and dose escalation
14. National Library of Medicine – Stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol
15. National Institute of General Medical Sciences – Circadian Rhythms
16. Piedmont – How does alcohol affect your sleep?
17. National Library of Medicine – The Diuretic Action of Weak and Strong Alcoholic Beverages in Elderly Men: A Randomized Diet-Controlled Crossover Trial
18. Healthline – Why Does Alcohol Make You Pee?
19. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol and the Sleeping Brain
20. UCI Health – Why we need REM sleep for health
21. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute – Sleep Phases and Stages
22. Forbes – This Is What Alcohol Does To Your Dreams – According To A Sleep Doctor
23. National Library of Medicine – Sleep Physiology
24. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Harmful Effects on the Contractility of Skeletal, Cardiac and Smooth Muscles
25. Verywell Health – What's the Link Between Alcohol and Sleep Apnea?
26. Mayo Clinic – Sleep Disorders
27. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol and the risk of sleep apnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis
28. Johns Hopkins Medicine – The Dangers of Uncontrolled Sleep Apnea
29. SoClean – New Research: Sleep Well to Live Longer
30. National Library of Medicine – Alcohol and the Immune System
31. Cancer Research UK – Alcohol and cancer
32. NHS – Alcohol Misuse Risks
33. National Institutes of Health – Alcohol and fertility: How much is too much?
34. WebMD – What to Know About Alcohol and Mental Health