Alcoholism And Sleep: Understanding The Connection

Alcoholics may sleep all day due to the negative impact of alcohol on sleep quality. Alcohol can cause frequent awakenings, a reduction of deep sleep, and earlier-than-usual waking times, resulting in daytime drowsiness, reduced concentration, and irritability. These sleep problems can persist for weeks, months, or even years after quitting drinking and are a significant risk factor for relapse. Alcohol also relaxes throat muscles, worsening sleep-related breathing problems and contributing to sleep apnea. Additionally, alcohol increases the need to urinate during the night, further disrupting sleep.

Alcohol disrupts sleep architecture, causing more N3 sleep and less REM sleep

Alcohol has a detrimental impact on sleep, but these problems can persist even after an alcoholic decides to stop drinking. Alcoholics can experience disruptions to their sleep architecture, causing more N3 sleep and less REM sleep.

Sleep is generally classified into two states: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep is further divided into four stages, with the first two being light sleep, and the third and fourth being deep sleep, or slow-wave sleep (SWS). During a typical sleep cycle, the body cycles through all of these stages every 90 to 120 minutes, with NREM sleep dominating the first part of the night and REM sleep increasing during the second part of the night. Each stage is necessary for sleep to be refreshing and for vital processes like learning and memory consolidation to occur.

When alcoholics go to bed with alcohol in their system, they experience more N3 sleep and less REM sleep than usual. Later in the night, once their body has metabolised the alcohol, they experience a rise in N1 sleep, the lightest stage of sleep, leading to frequent wakings and fragmented, low-quality sleep. This alteration in sleep architecture can cause alcoholics to feel tired during the day and may increase their risk of relapse.

In addition to altering sleep architecture, alcohol can also disrupt sleep by interfering with circadian rhythms and contributing to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Alcohol's effects on sleep can be both acute and chronic, affecting heavy drinkers in the long term. Alcohol withdrawal can lead to reductions in deep sleep and abnormalities in REM sleep, further disrupting the sleep architecture of alcoholics.

Treating sleep problems in alcoholics is important, as poor sleep can be a risk factor for alcohol relapse. Behavioural therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), are the preferred treatment option as they have been shown to be effective and do not interfere with sobriety.

Alcohol can cause insomnia, which can lead to alcohol dependence

People with alcohol dependence often have more problems with sleep onset than with sleep maintenance, which is why some might conclude that they can't sleep sober. Sleep onset insomnia is trouble falling asleep, while maintenance insomnia is the inability to sleep through the night. Acute insomnia is a brief period of trouble sleeping, often caused by a stressful life event or experience, and chronic insomnia is trouble falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or longer. Comorbid insomnia occurs with another condition, like depression or anxiety, that also interferes with sleep.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 25% to 72% of people with alcohol use disorders report sleep troubles. The more disruptive effects include more frequent awakenings, a reduction of deep sleep, and earlier-than-usual waking times. Such effects lead people to feel that they did not get enough sleep, and daytime sleepiness, reduced concentration, and irritability can result.

Alcohol's sedative quality can rob you of energy in another way. Drinking during the day can make you feel drowsy or lethargic, especially if you didn't sleep well the night before. Even one drink can make you drowsy, especially if you drink during one of your usual low-energy times, such as midafternoon or late evening.

Several hours after a nightcap, alcohol raises the body's level of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and generally stimulates the body, which can result in nighttime awakenings. Alcohol may account for 10% of cases of persistent insomnia. It also relaxes throat muscles, worsening sleep-related breathing problems and contributing to sleep apnea.

Alcohol can cause insomnia, and insomnia can cause alcohol dependence. People with insomnia are more likely to report using alcohol to aid sleep than those without insomnia. The use of alcohol to self-medicate sleep problems is especially common, although not particularly effective, among alcoholics.

Research shows that regular alcohol intake can reduce sleep quality over time, potentially causing issues such as insomnia. Even though a glass or two may help you initially drift off faster, it probably won't benefit your sleep quality in the long run. More than 70% of those with alcohol use disorder (AUD) also experience alcohol-induced sleep disorders, such as insomnia, according to scientists in a 2020 review.

Alcohol relaxes throat muscles, worsening sleep apnea

Alcohol is a sedative that can make you drowsy, but it also has other effects that can disrupt your sleep. Alcohol relaxes the throat muscles, which can worsen sleep-related breathing problems and contribute to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterised by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep.

Alcohol can also cause an increase in the body's level of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and stimulates the body, leading to nighttime awakenings. It may also increase the need to urinate during the night, disrupting sleep.

Alcohol's sedative quality can make you feel drowsy or lethargic during the day, especially if you didn't sleep well the night before. Even one drink can make you feel tired, especially if consumed during your usual low-energy times, such as mid-afternoon or late evening.

Alcohol can account for about 10% of persistent insomnia cases. It is also linked to a disrupted circadian rhythm, longer sleep times, disturbances in REM sleep, and an increased risk of other sleep disorders.

Alcohol increases the need to urinate during the night

Alcohol relaxes throat muscles, worsening sleep-related breathing problems and contributing to sleep apnea. It also raises the body's level of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and generally stimulates the body, which can result in nighttime awakenings.

Additionally, alcohol's sedative quality can make people feel drowsy or lethargic during the day, especially if they didn't sleep well the night before. This can further contribute to fatigue and disrupt the sleep cycle.

To minimize the impact of alcohol on sleep, it is recommended to avoid drinking on an empty stomach, hydrate throughout the day, exercise, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

Alcohol withdrawal can cause sleep disturbances and increase the risk of relapse

Alcohol withdrawal can cause sleep disturbances, and these disturbances can increase the risk of relapse. Sleep disturbances are extremely common in the early stages of recovery from alcohol dependence and may persist for several months despite continued abstinence. Studies indicate that sleep disturbances independently increase the risk of relapse to alcohol, suggesting that targeting these problems during recovery may support continued abstinence.

During alcohol withdrawal, GABA receptors in the brain are under-stimulated. While over-stimulation of these receptors causes relaxation, under-stimulation causes the opposite effect. The resulting hyperactivity makes sleeping difficult, creating temporary insomnia during detox.

There are several things you can do to help yourself get to sleep during withdrawal:

• Set a regular sleep schedule
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine
• Avoid napping during the day
• Exercise regularly
• Medication-assisted treatment

The duration of insomnia differs based on the individual; however, it generally lasts about a week to 10 days. Once withdrawal symptoms are gone, insomnia will typically resolve.

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