Must Read: Drinking Wine Before Bedtime May Increase Risk Of Sleep Imbalance
- comments
Drinking alcohol before bedtime does not allow the body to go through a full sleep cycle. Thus, it the body is not properly refreshed and makes a person feel unsteady in the morning.
A team of doctors from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, U.S., studied alcohol's effects on sleep for more than five years. In a statement made by Dr. Mahesh Thakkar, the one who lead the research in Daily Mail, said that alcohol puts pressure on an individual to sleep. When this happens, the sleeping pattern is changed, and a person may experience disturbed sleep and wake up earlier.
Alcohol during bedtime does not really help induce sleep. It leads to poor quality rest and interferes with sleep homeostasis or also known as the body's internal sleep-regulator that balances the body's need for sleep, in relation to how long a person has already been awake. Consistent alcohol intake before bedtime can lead to withdrawal symptoms and insomnia.
However, people who suffer depression starts to drink alcohol to help them sleep. They think that they can self-medicate their feelings through alcohol but it will only aggravate the symptoms of unhappiness despite initial mood lift since alcohol itself is a depressant.
Moreover, alcohol is a diuretic. It causes the body to excrete water than the usual that makes people urinate frequently and eventually leads to waking up constantly, and never to fall to sleep back again.
According to Huffington Post, among the things on don't eat or drink such as caffeine and spicy foods, was alcohol. A medical director, dietician and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association Christine Gerbstadt explains that alcohol disrupts the sleep cycle. "It delays the onset of and shortens the sleep's REM - which is restful sleep needed every night."
As an alternative, Gerbstadt suggested eating grapes with skin on to get a boost of melatonin - a hormone that regulates sleeping and waking cycles. Milk, herbal tea, and other comforting remedies may help "not by making you sleepy, but making you relaxed," Gerbstadt said.
Christine Gerbstadt also recommended to ensure a good night sleep, simply cut down on the wine. The booze is just not worth it.