We understand that you might depend on the power of a glass of wine or that whiskey on the rocks if you need to sleep well at night. It is important to note, however, that excessive drinking can disrupt your sleep rhythm.
In moderation, alcohol can be enjoyable and even help you get some sleep briefly, but its effects are not the same for everyone. The truth is that it can sometimes be just as dangerous as helpful. Alcohol and sleep have an inherent relationship.
For more information on the effects of alcohol on sleep and how individuals are able to improve their sleep when they reduce their drinking, continue reading this article.
Alcohol and Sleep
In order to maintain good health, it is essential to get enough sleep. By influencing numerous biological systems such as metabolism, mental health, and the immune system, this helps to improve the health of our bodies, and it helps our bodies repair themselves. Sleep is one of the best methods of self-care daily, and it is also one of the most effective approaches for improving your overall health on a long-term basis, without any doubt.
Genetics, stress, and other aspects of our lives can influence our sleep patterns, and we can do nothing about these circumstances. Besides coffee and nicotine, we can only control how much alcohol we drink.
Because of its sedative properties, alcohol isn’t an obvious culprit. But it’s so much more than that. During each sleep stage, alcohol disrupts the sleep cycle by messing up how much sleep you get. This is why you wake up groggy and tired.
What Happens To The Body When Sleep Is Poor?
If you let your body digest alcohol before falling asleep, you’ll be able to control the sleep-damaging effects of alcohol. Reduce the chance of sleep interruptions by cutting out alcohol four hours before bedtime. Your brain deteriorates, and your health suffers when you don’t sleep enough. From weight gain to a compromised immune system, poor sleep can cause health problems.
The short-term effects of sleep deprivation on the body include:
- Irritability and impatience.
- Increased stress and anxiety.
- Reduced focus and a shorter attention span.
- Poor judgment and decision making.
The long-term effects will slowly lead your body to deterioration. You will experience memory issues and trouble with concentration. You will also become increasingly moody, emotional, and quick-tempered. This can also lead to escalated anxiety and depression. Because of your drowsiness, there is also an increased risk of accidents and other injuries. You will subject your body to a weakened immune system and will be more vulnerable to diabetes and heart disease. You will also gain weight because your body cycles and metabolism are off balance, so the tendency is that you will overindulge every chance you get.
During the day, if you feel hungover or the effects of alcohol have abused your body, you may consider taking a nap to dovetail the lack of sleep from the night before. Although napping throughout the day may be beneficial for a short period of time, it may result in long-term issues since it may disrupt sleep in the evening.
How to Get Better Sleep by Cutting Back On Drinking
Hydrate
One of the best ways to avoid hangovers is to hydrate. The diuretic effect of alcohol increases your desire to urinate, which can lead to dehydration. You can stay hydrated by drinking enough water and alcoholic drinks, preventing dehydration symptoms like thirst, weariness, and headaches. These symptoms characterize a hangover.
Use Tracking Apps
An app can help you with cutting back on drinking, as well as with how to overcome hangover. The app will allow you to select personal objectives based on the behaviors you want to change. A weekly plan will automatically be generated for you based on your goals. To keep things enjoyable and light, you’ll receive daily inspiration, advice, and accountability text messages to keep you on track. If you are interested in living a sober, inquisitive life, you can seek professional guidance on how to do so. You can work with Sunnyside to keep yourself on track.
Pace out
When consuming alcohol, one should drink moderately and pace themselves so that there is less likelihood of experiencing severe hangover symptoms the following day. When you let alcohol sit for four hours before bed, you can ensure that it is digested while you are awake and that you will not be disturbed by it while you sleep.
Eat Before Drinking
A person should consume a nutritious meal before they drink. If you eat before or during your drinking, you will be able to delay alcohol’s absorption into your system for a longer time. If you eat before you go to bed, you will be able to keep your blood alcohol levels low, which will help reduce the effects of a hangover.
Drink in Moderation
There is no better way to avoid a hangover than to drink alcohol in moderation or not at all. There is a strong correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed and the likelihood of suffering from a bad hangover the next day after drinking.
Depending on the individual, the amount of water at risk for causing a person to become dehydrated can vary. It can depend on the circumstances, such as the quantity of food consumed, the amount of water consumed, and the amount of sleep the individual has gotten.
To ensure that a person is aware of the number of beverages they consume, they must measure them. It’s common for people to consume larger quantities of alcohol at home or to be less mindful of the proportions they consume when they’re drinking. Keeping track of one’s alcohol consumption may become more challenging.
Conclusion
Sleep is an essential bodily function because, during its various stages, our body goes through many processes. Our body restarts and recuperates during sleep, which is why it is so important not to interrupt its cycle. Managing your alcohol intake using the Sunnyside app can help you journey to a healthier and happier you.
