It’s tempting to have a glass or two of your favorite liquor before bed since that seems to help you unwind and get to sleep more quickly. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol before bed can be causing more harm than good when it comes to sleeping and your overall health. Here are 5 reasons you should skip that drink and find a healthier way to get to sleep.
1. There Can Be Increased Drowsiness
The main reason people drink before sleep is because of its sedating properties. The sedative doesn’t only last during the night, however. Studies show that alcohol interferes with the amount of an important neurotransmitter in the brain known as adenosine.
Normally, the levels of adenosine rise over time and make you feel sleepy to get prepared for the end of the day. When you drink, this process may not happen as it should and you’ll be drowsy earlier than you should be.
2. Alcohol Interrupts Your Sleep Cycle
To get all the benefits of a good night’s sleep, your body needs to go through a sleep cycle. This cycle includes three non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stages and one rapid eye movement (REM) stage.
While all these stages are important, memory consolidation and other brain-healing activities tend to happen in REM sleep.
Health experts estimate that may be why the REM stage of sleep tends to get longer as the night continues.
If you have a drink, the alcohol interferes with REM sleep and it may not last as long as it should. As a result, you feel less rested and your cognitive function may suffer the next day.
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3. You Can Mess Up Your Circadian Rhythm
The circadian rhythm is your body’s natural way of determining when it should be getting ready to rest. The hormone, melatonin, is an integral part of this process as it promotes sleepiness. However, alcohol suppresses the production of melatonin. That explains why you may