"In my previous post, I shared how, after a decade-long nightly drinking routine, I discovered that even one drink can ruin a good night's sleep. Today, as a sober therapist and sobriety guide, I work with many clients who hesitate to give up alcohol because they'll miss its " sleeping aid" effect. Knowing how vital sleep is to our physical and emotional well-being, I completely understand that fear."
"However, like many alcohol-related beliefs, "alcohol helps us sleep better" is a wildly misinformed myth. A Finnish study in 2018 showed that even one glass of wine can disrupt sleep quality (I dive into the numbers in the previous post). That leads us to another puzzle: If alcohol has such a negative impact on sleep, why do so many of us believe the opposite? And how exactly does alcohol ruin our sleep?"
"Why Nightcaps Feel Like They Help You Sleep (But Really Don't) Many of us come to believe alcohol helps us sleep better based on personal experience. I remember the well-meaning advice from a friend when I teared up about the endless sleepless nights after my first breakup: "Have a beer before bed, and it will help." The remedy worked like a charm-a half beer later, I fell into a dreamless slumber within minutes of my head hitting the pillow."
Decade-long nightly drinking routines can create the belief that one drink does not harm sleep, yet even a single drink can degrade sleep quality. Many people hesitate to stop drinking because they fear losing alcohol's perceived sleeping-aid effect, and sleep is vital to physical and emotional health. A 2018 Finnish study found that even one glass of wine can disrupt sleep. Alcohol's depressant and sedative effects can cause rapid sleep onset and an illusion of deeper sleep, but restorative sleep requires complex cycles during which the brain performs maintenance. Alcohol-related beliefs about sleep are widely misinformed.
Read at Psychology Today
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