Many people like to drink wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages
after work or in the evening, and because of the muscle (and mind)
relaxation that occurs, may believe that alcohol helps them sleep.
Ironically,
while a few drinks may bring on a sleepy state, they will disrupt the
normal sleep cycle and create very restless sleep. The reason for this
is that once asleep, the body starts to metabolise the alcohol and this
affects brain activity. Alcohol in the blood stream actually disrupts
the normal sleep cycle which involves cycling four or five times a night
through deep, restful sleep and more active periods of dreaming and
high brain activity. Alcohol disturbs the sleep pattern and makes it
erratic.
Studies have found that alcohol consumed six hours before
bedtime disrupts the second half of the sleep period. Active
alcoholics experience specific sleep disturbances such as needing
increased time to fall asleep, frequent awakenings and poorer sleep
quality as well as daytime fatigue. Further, these people undergo a
vicious cycle when they try to stop drinking since an abrupt reduction
or end to drinking usually triggers alcohol-withdrawal difficulties as
well as pronounced insomnia and sleep disturbance.
Beyond
withdrawal, sleep patterns may never return to normal in people with
alcoholism. After years of abstinence, alcoholics tend to sleep poorly,
with increased nighttime wakefulness contributing to daytime fatigue.
In
addition to the effects of alcohol on the brain, drinking high
quantities of any beverage before bed is going to increase the need for
urination during the night, creating a further sleep disruption.
The
occasional evening of drinks is not a problem, but a pattern of heavy
drinking can set up insomnia problems. It can also lead to sleep apnea
where the throat's soft tissues can relax to the point of obstructing
breathing during sleep.
Cutting back on alcohol consumption, or stopping it entirely is advisable for people keen to restore restful sleep.
For many, many more options for overcoming insomnia, visit Good Night Sleep [http://www.a-good-night-sleep.com/index.html]. You are welcome to reprint this article on your health-related website, as long as you reprint it in full, including this resource box.
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