You might be aware of other side effects of alcohol, including kidney problem, liver impairment, lung damage, etc. but hardly thought about its impact on the sleep cycle of a human being. Read on to discover how and regular drinking can disrupt your sleep patterns and find out the solutions for sleeplessness.
When you had a long and busy day, a drink or two helps you fall asleep. Alcohol might help you sleep, but many of you would be unaware of the fact that even a small glass can affect the quality of your sleep. Moreover, if you are drinking more than 14 units per week, you may find you wake up with the feeling of tiredness and restlessness.
How alcohol disrupts sleep cycle?
Do you think alcohol helps in sleep? For some people, the answer is yes. Data suggests that nearly 15-20% of the American population will prefer alcohol before sleep as they think it relaxes the mind and makes you fall asleep. Many research studies revealed that whether you have one or have many glasses of alcohol regularly, it will harm your body or that way. Drinking frequently can hurt your sleep patterns, making you feel tired and sluggish. When you consume an alcohol beverage, you may quickly and deeply fall asleep. This is the reason why many people prefer drinking alcohol before bed, and these include especially those who have insomnia or other sleep disorders. People get low quality sleep following alcohol because:
- It blocks REM sleep, which is believed to be the most restorative type of sleep. You are likely to wake up weak and unfocused.
- It can interrupt your circadian rhythm. Alcohol may affect the production of certain chemicals in the body that are responsible for triggering sleep, especially when you have a busy day or had enough sleep. When you drink, the production of a sleep-inducing chemical in the brain starts increasing, which cause you to sleep quickly. But it subsides very quickly, which is is why you wake up with a feeling that you haven’t had rest.
- It increases bathroom tour especially during the second half of the night
- Sleeping dis-ordered breathing and snoring is another risk in alcohol sleep.
These are some common side effects of alcohol if you get any of the problems highlighted above, talk to a physician for advice.
Also Read: Lack of Sleep seems to Triple the Risk of Asthma
Tips for a night sleep
Many things can help you fall asleep without alcohol. In the early era, people suggest going for meditation, music and walk. Try the following solutions for sleeplessness:
- Meditation: meditation is an Indian Vedic remedy, which is now a day very popular in almost every part of the world. It is focusing on breathing in and out. That will eventually help in having a good sleep. Meditation relaxes the brain and cool down the body temperature by giving a normal circulation of blood.
- Music: there is nobody in the world who don’t like or listen to music. According to a study, those who listen can easily make their mind relax. Once the mind, or in a comfortable position, it can make you fall asleep.
- Reading: one of the oldest methods to make one sleep. Nearly 40% of American are in the habit of reading at night. When we read it to distract our mind and make it tired, and once our mind is tired, it gives a signal to sleep.
- Walk: late night or after dinner walk is very important. It not only helps in digesting food, but it also freshens up mind n relaxes it.
So, to have a happy heart and relax mind it not necessary to take alcohol, but it is important to make certain changes in lifestyle, which can eventually give you a better stress-free sleep.
