Why can’t I sleep after drinking alcohol? Find out if drinking is making you sleep deprived

As insufficient sleep is correlated with poor self-control, it’s important for recovering addicts to do what they can to get enough sleep and reduce the chances of a relapse. What’s more, sleep helps the body and mind to recover, and physical and spiritual healing are an important part of the recovery process. Amphetamines, which are found in some prescription drugs and also in street drugs like methamphetamine, are also powerful stimulants that can wreak havoc on your quality of sleep. With a half-life of 9-15 hours, half of the drug can still be in your body when you go to bed even when you take it early in the day.

Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Research suggests alcohol consumption increases the risk of sleep apnea by 25%. It also contributes to the lowest oxygen saturation levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Our bodies produce melatonin to help control our sleep-wake cycle, which happens to coincide with sunlight. Our pineal gland releases melatonin as the sun goes down, and we start feeling tired. When you Sober Home drink, you’re essentially throwing your sleep-wake cycle off. The relationship between alcohol and insomnia is complicated and multifaceted. Anywhere between 25 to 72% of people in alcohol treatment programs experience some kind of sleep problem.1 In some cases, people may have insomnia and use alcohol as a sleep aid. Other times, insomnia may be brought on or made worse from frequent alcohol use. Being CERTAIN that you’ll find a solution to a problem drastically increases your odds of doing so.

Should You Try Polyphasic Sleep?

However, I am a big fan of kava, which you can read about in this article here. Since inositol can contribute to episodes of low blood sugar, it might be wiser to try niacinamide first if you’re among the many alcoholics prone to hypoglycemia. Many alcoholics are deficient in B-vitamins, which can lead to various psychological disturbances including insomnia. Because of kratom’s unique ability to enhance both relaxation and focus, hundreds of thousands of former opiate addicts have used kratom to get off of opiates. We will now proceed to explore some additional supplements that I’ve tried for myself at least several times each, and which I feel confident in recommending. You can learn more in my article on 3 of my favorite supplements. This supplement absolutely works to bring on sleep more quickly and to provide a deeper night’s rest. Shipping is free, and if Sleep Support doesn’t agree with your biochemistry or help you sleep better, you can return it for a full refund. Yet the vast majority of alcoholics are deficient in magnesium.

Alcohol can also cause some of the muscles around your airways to work differently and affect your breathing. This can make it hard to sleep if you have a breathing issue, such as sleep apnea. The risk, danger, and sometimes tragic results of drowsy driving are alarming. Drowsy driving is the dangerous combination of driving and sleepiness or fatigue. This usually happens when a driver has not slept enough, but it can also happen due to untreated sleep disorders, medications, drinking alcohol, and shift work. The relationship between alcohol and sleep has been studied since the 1930s, yet many aspects of this relationship are still unknown. Research has shown sleepers who drink large amounts of alcohol before going to bed are often prone to delayed sleep onset, meaning they need more time to fall asleep.

How to stay awake without coffee or caffeine

This period is extremely challenging as withdrawal symptoms occur. While these drugs can be particularly effective at treating pain, they have a high potential for addiction and abuse, and this can result in trouble sleeping. Additionally, amphetamines impact the central nervous system, keeping people awake following use, and causing sleep disturbances during withdrawal. Similar to cocaine, amphetamines can cause changes to neurotransmitters that can lead to prolonged sleep difficulties.

Additionally, alcohol use can increase your chances of experiencing sleep apnea, snoring, and nightmares. Many of us know how alcohol can make us feel drowsy or tired, and a significant number of us actually use its sedative effects to help us get to sleep on a regular basis. But as research into the subject continues to grow, experts are warning that drinking can impact the quality and quantity of our slumber in ways we’re probably not aware of. In the case of obstructive sleep apnea, where the throat muscles and tongue are already impeding on your airway, alcohol makes the condition worse.

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If you don’t get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. If you are having trouble doing that, use blue light blocking glasses that you can put on once its dark outside to limit your blue light exposure. A seizure occurs when there’s a surge in brain electrical activity. See your doctor if you experience any of these side effects. There are four things you should do before taking the wheel to prevent driving while drowsy. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health.

Here are some healthier solutions that can address your overall problem with fatigue. Speaking of managing your stress, meditation is one specific way toclear your brainso you’re more aware and can think more clearly. This means you can skip those vanilla lattes and snag an apple, some blueberries or maybe even a banana for a quick pick-me-up. So in summary, the solution is either different drugs, more drugs, or fewer drugs. A lot of the time I couldn’t get back to sleep – and if I finally did, it wouldn’t be until 4 or 5 in the morning. When I woke up at around 6.30am with the kids, I’d be in a horrible mood. I was snappy and irritable all the time, and I felt like I was taking it out on my children.

So, before you reach for that nightcap, consider whether you really need it. Indeed, while a lack of sleep can have negative health consequences for any of us, it’s particularly noticeable for those who struggle with stress and anxiety, or other can t sleep without drinking mental health issues. Aggie Connor is a sober coach and the founder of Fresh and Fab in Southsea. She offers lifestyle coaching and advice to those who want to give up alcohol and has seen how drinking can influence our night-time routines.

This is why a short term fix like alcohol is never recommended for insomnia. If “practising good sleep hygiene” sounds a little too clinical, think about it like this. Create a relaxing wind-down routine before bed, and don’t be afraid to switch up your tactics to find out what works can t sleep without drinking best for you. As we’ve learnt, while it might knock you out more quickly, alcohol disrupts REM sleep and causes more sleep disturbances, which often results in daytime sleepiness the next day. Researchers have noted a link between long-term alcohol abuse and chronic sleep problems.