{"id":554,"date":"2022-06-17T10:05:59","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T10:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/?p=554"},"modified":"2022-09-05T10:31:43","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T10:31:43","slug":"does-alcohol-help-you-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Bartender! Another round. When I&#8217;m drunk, I <a href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/\">sleep<\/a> like a baby.&#8221; \u2013 This is you.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Actually, alcohol is the most efficient sleep aid in the market.&#8221; \u2013 Your buddy shouts from across the table.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_22 counter-hierarchy\">\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#Does_Alcohol_Help_You_Sleep\" title=\"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?\">Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#How_does_Alcohol_Affect_Sleep\" title=\"How does Alcohol Affect Sleep?\">How does Alcohol Affect Sleep?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#4_Reasons_Why_Alcohol_Is_Bad_for_Your_Sleep\" title=\"4 Reasons Why Alcohol Is Bad for Your Sleep\">4 Reasons Why Alcohol Is Bad for Your Sleep<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#So_can_You_Use_Alcohol_to_Help_You_Sleep\" title=\"So can You Use Alcohol to Help You Sleep?\">So can You Use Alcohol to Help You Sleep?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#When_should_You_Stop_Drinking_Before_Going_to_Bed\" title=\"When should You Stop Drinking Before Going to Bed?\">When should You Stop Drinking Before Going to Bed?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/does-alcohol-help-you-sleep\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_Alcohol_Help_You_Sleep\"><\/span><strong>Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Alcohol is good if you need to sleep \u2013 this is probably true, but is it?<\/p>\n<p>These are some of the lies you&#8217;ve probably heard. And today, you&#8217;ll know why? After reading this, you&#8217;ll never look at alcohol the same way again. And here&#8217;s why?<\/p>\n<p>Alcohol has sedative characteristics, which make you sleepy when you&#8217;re intoxicated. It&#8217;s a fact that alcohol can make you fall deeply fast asleep, but it&#8217;ll only be for a few hours.<\/p>\n<p>Alcohol affects sleep in several ways, starting with heartburn or acid reflux. Lying down soon after drinking can cause acid reflux, which can affect a <a href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/try-guided-sleep-meditation-for-a-good-night\/\">good night&#8217;s sleep<\/a>. If you have related symptoms, it is recommended to stop drinking alcohol at least three hours before going to bed to help the alcohol empty from the stomach.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?-Mintal\" title=\"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?-Mintal\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-557\" src=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/9d46af5e-588f-4cb2-b96d-0642edb43c5b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"720\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_Alcohol_Affect_Sleep\"><\/span><strong>How does Alcohol Affect Sleep?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>1. Frequent sleep disruption<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s common to wake up frequently when intoxicated. If it isn&#8217;t thirsty, it&#8217;ll be the urge to pee. And if there&#8217;s still alcohol in your system, you&#8217;ll be dehydrated, your heart will be pumping, and it&#8217;ll be difficult to fall asleep.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Affects REM sleep<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drinking alcohol and alcoholic beverages improves circulation, relaxes you, and helps you fall asleep faster, but it also means your overall sleep quality will be worse.<\/p>\n<p>Alcohol makes you jump the phases of sleep. You spend more hours on REM sleep and less time on deep sleep \u2013 this is why you wake up feeling unrefreshed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Worsens Sleep Apnea<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since alcohol relaxes your muscles, your throat muscles will collapse and close your airways. This is <a href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/what-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-apnea-treatment\/\">sleep apnea<\/a>, and alcohol makes it worse. You develop a sleep disorder you shouldn&#8217;t have.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Reasons_Why_Alcohol_Is_Bad_for_Your_Sleep\"><\/span><strong>4 Reasons Why Alcohol Is Bad for Your Sleep<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3>1. Alcohol affects melatonin and circadian rhythms<\/h3>\n<p>Another system that regulates the &#8220;sleep-wake cycle&#8221; is the circadian rhythm system, and alcohol also affects sleep by affecting the circadian rhythm.<\/p>\n<p>As sleep time approaches, the circadian rhythm system signals that melatonin is released in abundance, and sleep ensues.<\/p>\n<p>Studies have found that drinking alcohol before bed can reduce melatonin levels and increase core body temperature, which in turn affects sleep quality.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Alcohol worsens snoring and obstructive sleep apnea<\/h3>\n<p>In mild cases, dyspnea can lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/10-lesser-known-causes-of-snoring\/\">snoring<\/a>, and in more severe cases, it can lead to brief pauses in breathing that wake people from sleep and interrupt the progression of sleep stages.<\/p>\n<p>Alcohol is a muscle relaxant that collapses the soft tissues of the upper airway and blocks the upper airway, so people who drink before bed are more prone to airway obstruction.<\/p>\n<p>People with snoring, or those with obstructive sleep apnea, can experience increased snoring and lower blood oxygen levels after drinking alcohol, especially before bedtime.<\/p>\n<p>Regular drinkers were 25 percent more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea than non-drinkers, and obesity was a common risk factor.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Alcohol exacerbates existing sleep disturbances<\/h3>\n<p>Many people use alcohol as a placebo. Whenever they are upset, they like to drink a little wine to relax themselves; but if alcohol interferes with sleep, it may eventually have the opposite effect.<\/p>\n<p>People with moderate or severe anxiety disorders who drink alcohol to sleep better are more likely to have sleep problems.<\/p>\n<p>Another study found that using alcohol to cope with the loss of a loved one increases the risk of major depression, which itself can lead to sleep disturbances.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Alcohol can worsen <a href=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wide-awake-at-3-am-do-i-have-insomnia\/\">insomnia<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>People who wake up feeling sluggish are more likely to rely on alcohol again to help them fall asleep the next night, leading to a vicious cycle.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?-Mintal\" title=\"Does Alcohol Help You Sleep?-Mintal\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-558\" src=\"https:\/\/mintal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/964ee261-23fc-404e-9c9e-e23bc80d6b0b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1146\" height=\"720\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_can_You_Use_Alcohol_to_Help_You_Sleep\"><\/span><strong>So can You Use Alcohol to Help You Sleep?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It can be helpful if you feel stressed during the day and need a small amount of alcohol in the evening to help you unwind.<\/p>\n<p>If you have sleep problems and are always picking up alcohol to help you fall asleep, it may make your sleep problems worse.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_should_You_Stop_Drinking_Before_Going_to_Bed\"><\/span><strong>When should You Stop Drinking Before Going to Bed?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here it is recommended to avoid alcohol at least three to five hours before bedtime. Alcohol is a sedative at first, so it can help you fall asleep, but then it can interfere with sleep. For a good night&#8217;s sleep, avoid alcohol and alcoholic beverages three to five hours before bed.<\/p>\n<p>Imagine for a second.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s 4 am. You wake up gasping for breath. You can barely open your eyes. But, it&#8217;s the cold and wet sensation in your pants that wake you fully \u2013 you peed on yourself. And all eyes are on you.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid this and other similar embarrassing moments. Don&#8217;t drink and sleep!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A small nightcap can be of some benefit. If you need a good night&#8217;s sleep, then you should seriously consider.<\/p>\n<p>Want to know if you snore after drinking? Mintal Tracker APP helps you monitor your sleep throughout the night, download and try it now.<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center; color: #e24c41;\"><a class=\"artical-but\" href=\"https:\/\/mintal.onelink.me\/ZTyM\/sleeptracker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Download Mintal<\/a><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Does Alcohol Help You Sleep? These are some of the lies you&#8217;ve probably heard. And today, you&#8217;ll know why?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1545,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_daextam_enable_autolinks":"1","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[16,18,38,72],"class_list":["post-554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleep","tag-snoring","tag-sleeping","tag-better-sleep","tag-alcohol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=554"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":729,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554\/revisions\/729"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mintal.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}