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Journalism of Courage
Regardless of age or lifestyle, numerous individuals struggle to get adequate, quality sleep. In addition to other factors, did you know that alcohol consumption can exert a lot of influence on sleep patterns? Many rely on alcohol to fall asleep faster as it decreases sleep latency, says Dr Sibasish Dey, head of medical affairs (South Asia) of ResMed, a California-based medical equipment company.
However, the expert adds that consumption of alcohol leads to derangement in sleep quality as well as quantity. “Alcohol may shorten the total sleep time and interrupt sleep, which results in fatigue, confusion and sleepiness the following day. Both slow-wave sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) stages are affected by alcohol. Slow-wave sleep stage is affected but these effects may reduce when someone consumes alcohol over a period of days to months,” he says.
Dr Sumant Mantri agrees. A senior consultant of pulmonary and sleep medicine at Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, he says that alcohol acts as a sedative initially by interacting with several neurotransmitters but over a period of time, the effect wears off. “A person starts increasing the quantity to get the same effect, leading to addiction.”
Large quantities of alcohol reduce deep sleep, leading to sleep deprivation over a period of time, Dr Mantri points out. “Moderate quantity of alcohol leads to a reduction in sleep quality by 24 per cent and large quantity by up to 40 per cent,” he explains.
However, it is the REM stage which is affected the most. “The body will spend a shorter period in the crucial REM stage of sleep because of the alcohol consumed, which will make you feel less rested when you wake up,” Dr Dey says, emphasising that a few drinks can also have an impact on your sleep.
But how exactly does this happen? Dr Arpan Chaudhuri, consultant (internal medicine) and intensivist at Manipal Hospitals in Kolkata’s Salt Lake says our liver plays a role in alcohol metabolism and its degradation in the body. “When alcohol is consumed just before bedtime, its percentage remains high in blood and that leads to instant sleep. But as the liver starts to metabolise the alcohol, it eventually disrupts sleep, especially the REM stage, and one tends to wake up soon after falling asleep owing to alcohol consumption just before bedtime. Therefore, avoiding alcohol just before getting into bed is very necessary so that the level of alcohol drops in blood and one’s sleep cycle is not disturbed,” he elaborates.
Additionally, alcohol consumption before bed leads to an imbalance between slow-wave sleep and REM sleep as the night goes on, with less of the latter and more of the former. “Shorter sleep duration and more sleep interruptions may be the results of this imbalance, which lowers total sleep quality. On long-term use, the sedative effect is lost while its sleep fragmentation ability continues. Often, individuals intake more alcohol to achieve the same effect and this leads to excessive consumption and subsequent addiction. This in the long term leads to insomnia in alcoholics,” Dr Dey says.
He explains that since alcohol is a substance that relaxes muscles, drinking before bed can increase the likelihood of experiencing an obstruction of the airway. “After consuming alcohol, especially close to bedtime, people who snore regularly or who have obstructive sleep apnea frequently exhibit more severe snoring and decreased blood oxygen levels,” Dr Dey adds.
Consuming alcohol can have long-term effects on sleep, too. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is one of the long-term consequences of excessive alcohol intake. It also contributes to daytime sleepiness and exhaustion. People frequently use caffeine-containing products such as coffee and cigarettes to help them remain awake during the day,” Dr Chaudhuri said.
At night, people follow the same practice of consuming alcohol to sleep, which leads to a cycle of dependence. However, in the long run, this disrupts sleep and creates a vicious cycle of increasing alcohol consumption.
Dr Dey states that alcohol can make sleep disorders, including sleep apnea and insomnia, worse. “It reduces the amount of REM sleep, which is crucial for memory consolidation and cognitive function. Consequently, individuals who regularly consume alcohol may experience daytime sleepiness, decreased alertness, and impaired concentration and productivity.”
As such, it becomes crucial to understand what can be done to mitigate these risks. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that no levels of alcohol consumption are safe for our health, Dr Dey highlights.
“Amongst its several detrimental effects on our body, its effect on sleep has come to the fore lately. So, it is better that we avoid indulgence in alcohol if we want a night of better sleep,” he underlines.
(Next in the series: What are some common dreams and what causes them?)
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