Can’t Sleep Without Alcohol? Sleep MD Explains How to Stop
However, it’s vital to comprehend how alcohol affects sleep patterns to grasp the knock-on effects of alcohol withdrawal. Because of the damage that alcohol can do to your sleep cycles, sleep problems are common, even if you stop drinking. However, you may continue to have trouble sleepingfor yearsafter you stop drinking. A person might think that having a drink before bed may help them sleep because alcohol helps them relax. Because of drinking’s negative impact on sleep cycles, a person does not sleep as well if they drink before bed. Understanding why do I sleep better without alcohol might provide extra motivation.
- Optimizing your bedroom environment can enhance your sleep quality.
- While a drink now and then may have a sedative effect that causes you to drift off faster, research shows that it can impede sleep quality in the long run.
- Ultimately, no two cases of insomnia are the same, and no treatment plan is right for everyone.
- Symptoms may include frequent awakenings during the night, irritability or depression, daytime fatigue, or problems with attention and memory.
This is why many people who quit drinking alcohol report significant improvements in their sleep quality and overall well-being. Alcohol may offer temporary relief from stress, but it exacerbates anxiety and depression in the long run. Quitting alcohol is likely to offer substantial benefits for mental health. Research suggests that abstaining from alcohol helps reduce anxiety and stabilize mood.
These are called hypnic jerks and sleep starts and are totally normal as your body and mind relax into a sleep state. If you’re among the two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans that consumed alcohol in the last year (1), then you may have turned to the occasional nightcap for a little help falling asleep. When a person drinks alcohol, doing so in small or moderate amounts several hours before sleep can reduce the chance of sleep issues. Treating anxiety can help reduce insomnia and improve overall sleep quality. Research shows that between 33% and 40% of people who consume alcohol experience mild to severe anxiety.